The Nation Newspaper

Category: Southwest

  • ‘Keep our roads accident-free this season’

    ‘Keep our roads accident-free this season’

    The Ota Unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Assistant Corps Commander,  Sunday Omafu, has advised motorists to imbibe the culture of defensive driving, urging them to avoid aggression.

    He spoke during the Command’s Ember Months’ Campaign, at Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway, Ota, Ogun State, tagged “Road safety is a shared responsibility; it depends on you and me”.

    He said the FRSC was established to address road crashes which had become a social problem with their attendant miseries to the people.

    According to him, many have been killed or maimed while several others have become unproductive.

    He said researches have shown that the most potent antidote to these avoidable crashes is ‘attitudinal change’, appealing to Nigerians to double their efforts at being safety conscious.

    “To tackle this ugly trend, individuals’ responsibilities must be involved,” he said.

    Omafu said all road users have a great role to play to guarantee safety on our roads.

    “Drivers should stop reckless driving and avoid turning their vehicles to ‘weapons of mass destruction’. They should use them carefully and courteously on the road.”

    Pedestrians, he said, should desist from acts capable of endangering their lives, while motorcyclists should stop competing for the right of way with drivers.

    He urged road users to develop the habit of self-respect as doing that would make the roads safer.

    The Principal Road Traffic Officer (RTO), Ota Branch of the Vehicle Inspection Department (VIO), Commander Osukoya Paul Kehinde, appealed to motorists to always ensure that their vehicles are in good condition before embarking on a journey, urging them to maintain utmost discipline while driving.

    He said the only obstacle on the roads during ember months is the attitude of road users, noting that ember months are like other months (January – August).

    “There is nothing wrong with the days or months, but the individual’s attitudes need to be changed to end crashes on our roads during the ember months. All road users must change their attitudes by mastering traffic rules and regulations.

    Osukoya also urged motorists to follow due process of obtaining drivers’ licence, saying drivers’ licence is the only certificate that qualifies one as a driver.

    “The consequence of obtaining drivers’ licence through the back-door, according to him, is incessant crashes. Because such person would not undergo the normal training and he/she would lack adequate knowledge of road/traffic signs,” he said.

    He urged the agencies responsible for issuing drivers’ licence such as Board of Internal Revenue, FRSC and VIO to be strict in the issuance of drivers’ licence. Mr. Osukoya said it is a serious offence on the part of any motorist who drives using fake drivers’ licence. Such a person will not only be punished but will also risk a jail term.

    The Chairman of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area, Comrade Rotimi Rahmon, also urged motorists to ensure compliance with road safety rules and regulations for their own interest and those of other road users.

    He said the incessant crashes on the roads result from negligence on the part of motorists, adding that drinking and driving, over-speeding, overloading, wrong overtaking, making and receiving phone calls while driving and other forms of distraction are major causes of road accidents.

    He appealed to commercial drivers’ union to amplify their efforts in monitoring activities of their members in order to ensure safety of lives and properties during the Yuletide period and beyond. He also said the unions should ensure that no alcoholic joint exists within the garages.

    Comrade Rahmon appealed to those who trade on the highways to leave and look for a safer place, adding that the highways are accident-prone.

    Treasurer, Allied Truck Transporters’ Association of Nigeria (ATTAN), Mr Adeniyi Ayeni urged to both federal and state governments to regulate the system of commercial vehicle operations.

    He said the rate men of traffic management agencies extort money from transporters is too high.

    He also said lack of genuine spare parts contributes to high rate of crashes on our road.

    Present at the event were The Ogun State Sector Commander of FRSC, CC Adegoke Adetunji, zonal Public Education/Enlightenment Officer, ACC Olusegun Ogungbemide, Public Relations Officer, Sango Branch of National Union of Petroleum and Gas (NUPENG), Comrade Adebayo Hassan, Managing Director, Skiddo Foods Limited, Mrs Julia Shinaba, Executive Vice-Chairman, Missak Agency International Limited, Mr Jackie A. Kassim, representative of Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), Ota Zonal Command, Comrade Salako Solomon, Coordinator, Isaka/Igbala Special Marshal and Partnership, Chief Samuel Ajayi and Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ibiok Monday.

    Others present were Secretary of ATTAN, Mudashiru Taiwo and Secretary of ACCOMORAN, Miss Kafila Kehinde.

  • New fire-fighting equipment for Lagos

    New fire-fighting equipment for Lagos

    When next you see Lagos State fire fighters, your imagination may likely take a flight. Gone, perhaps forever, are the navy blue jacket overall for which they have been known while on duty. What residents of Lagos would be seeing are men of the Fire Service adorning professional apparels – a black fire-proof jacket and pair of trousers with yellow stripes, hand gloves, yellow fire boots and helmets.

    The new apparels are an integral part of a bouquet of modern fire fighting equipment and protective gears procured by the state government to strengthen their capacity to safeguard their lives while combating fire, and improve their capacity to protect the property of residents.

    Unveiling the tools and kits at an impressive ceremony attended by members of the state executive council, members of the body of permanent secretaries, traditional rulers, chiefs of related agencies, experts in fire and security matters, residents and representatives of non-governmental organisations, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola said: “Retooling the Fire Service is, in part, a fulfilment of the responsibility of the government to protect lives and property of her residents.”

    He said with the equipment, it becomes easier for the fire men to combat fire and save more lives than they hitherto do without necessarily endangering their lives.

    Fashola said the government would not only continue to improve the standard of the existing 15 fire stations, but will also open new ones, and ensure that many more areas are covered to reduce the stress of residents and improve on the response capacity to fire emergencies.

    He said already a total of 570 young men and women, 10 from each of the 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas have been trained to respond to emergencies. They will work in concert with the State Emergency Management Agency in the case of emergencies in any of the council areas.

    Praying that government would have no frequent need for the vehicles, Governor Fashola, who acknowledged that accidents must happen no matter how careful people are, appealed to residents that when such occasions arise, they should not only grant access to the fire men or other first emergency service personnel but should also stay away from the scene of the crisis.

    He said: “We will continue to appeal that whenever this happens, and we pray it will not be frequent, you must help them. You must assist them to get to the point of crisis. These are highly trained, well-equipped fire fighting personnel. But if we block the access to where the fire incident is, it would obstruct their job.”

    This could be achieved by citizens not crowding at the scene of fire and by maintaining and protecting street signs in their localities to direct first emergency responders to the point of crisis.

    Fashola, who also listed other superstructures already in place to include street signs and the emergency lines: 112 and 767, said government made the lines toll-free to open access for people to call responders’ attention to scene of emergencies whether or not they have air time on their phones.

    “Your ability to give correct direction and clear the road of all encumbrances may make the whole difference. It may be the key to the golden hour when timely help may make the difference in the lives of anyone in distress,” he said.

    He said the reason he has refused to grant approval for multi-storey buildings was the absence of capacity to cope with emergencies associated with such, adding that with the acquisition of the equipment, such delays may be a thing of the past.

    Earlier, the Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, Mr. Mohammed Oyinlomo Danmole said the equipment, which were built to the state’s specification, were ordered to address challenges of combating fire outbreaks in the state.

    The state, he said, set out to match the speed of megacity development and its attendant risks with motivated fire service personnel who are equipped with state-of-the-art fire-fighting equipment customised for our terrain.

    He said the state got a tested and trusted manufacturer with long standing history, Messrs W.S Darley of Itasca Illinois, a firm that has been in business since 1908, as fire fighting/equipment

    manufacturer for United States military and over 100 countries.

    Part of the government’s agreement with the firm included a full package purchase of these purpose-built fire fighting trucks, maintenance of all equipment and a comprehensive training of its firemen.

    He said: “We have taken delivery of 34 items namely 15 Dragon Pumper, which has been renamed Rapid Eagle: a Fire Tanker built on current model Ford F650 chassis, with built-in capacity for 3,400 litres of water, poly-water tank and 100 litres of foam tank, integral with water tank; 15 Snow Dragon, also renamed The Fire Eagle: a Fire Tanker built on current Spartan chassis with built-in capacity for 4,500 litres of water, poly-water tank and 100 litres of foam tank, integral with water tank.

    “Others are two  Aerial Telescopic Turn-table Ladder, built on current Spartan chassis mounted with extruded aluminium Aerial body and turn-table ladder with a capacity for 1,350 litres of  poly-water tank and 450 litres capacity foam tank, integral with water tank and two mobile maintenance vehicles fitted with welding tools and gadgets to resuscitate any damaged trucks within 24 hours.”

    He said all the fire trucks are fitted with storage tanks for water, foam and compressed air.

    “The new fire trucks will make use of the latest auto Compressed Air Foam System (CAFS) designed to reduce the volume of water needed to fight fire,” he said.

    Some of the benefits of this latest system, he said, are the ability to reduce property damage by putting the fire out faster, ability to reduce water and smoke damage through the use of blanket of foam over smouldering materials which helps reduce smoke emissions and ability to improve fire fighters’ safety as it keeps them away from the flames and heat due to the discharge distance caused by the air-powered propulsion.

    The lighter hose lines, Danmole added also creates less fatigue for fire fighters during operations.

    In addition to the hardware, government also procured personal protective clothing which comprises 500 fire-proof suit, 500 safety helmets, 500 safety boots and 500 hand gloves.

    Also included as part of the training, Danmole stated, is a pilot programme on contemporary fire service operation, using one of the existing fire stations as a model and replicating it in other stations across the state.

    The state has also embarked on the rehabilitation and upgrading of 225 old fire hydrants in the Lagos metropolis and the installation of 50 new ones to link the mini/micro-water works.

    Danmole said aside from the 15 state-owned stations, there are nine Federal Government-owned stations that are not functioning as they ought to, adding that efforts by the state government to take over the stations have not been successful.

    “For instance, places such as Surulere, Oyingbo and Lagos Island where federal fire stations are located need functional fire stations, but these are not available. Therefore, as a reliable government, Lagos cannot allow its citizens to be subjected to such dangerous

    situation.”

    He said the project that gulped 16 million Dollars was funded by the American Exim Bank, with the state government paying 15 per cent of the transaction.

    He said the manufacturer; W.S Darley began the project in 2011, while Messrs Targee Fire, the consultant trainers, has already began training of its local personnel on how to handle the equipment.

    Danmole added that, the purchase of the equipment was not done on shelf, but customised to meet the needs of the terrain of the state.

    “To ensure that we get maximum advantage of the equipment, we gave out contract not only for the supply of the equipment, but also for the maintenance and training of our personnel and so far, 150 of our men have benefitted in the first batch of the training,” he said.

    The Fire Eagle is fitted with aerial ladder with the rotation capacity of 360 degrees and an illumination lamp designed to provide light for easy movement of the vehicle and the personnel in the course of duty, especially where electricity may have been disrupted.

    “The ladder can get up to between 18th to 20th floor storey buildings, with 360 degrees rotational ability,” Danmole said.

    He said while each of the Fire Eagles has the capacity to accommodate 3,000 litres of water and foam, the Rapid Eagle have capacity for 2, 000 litres of water and foam each.

    The Chief Operating Officer of W.S Darley, Mr David Darley praised the Lagos State Government for its determination to equip its fire service adequately.

    He said the firm will continue to collaborate with the government in maximising the potential of the equipment, even as he assured of adequate servicing and training of personnel to ensure effective deployment of the machines.

    Darley said Lagos State is the first government in Africa to have patronised the firm, adding that the equipment his firm supplied could rank as one of the best in the world.

    The Chief Officer, Targee Fire, Mr. Edward Dorley Wright, who led the training team, explained that the equipment were fitted with modern tools and computers that are capable of making the task of fire fighting more effective.

    Wright maintained that the training would last for one year, while the life span of the equipment may last for more than 10 years if there is proper servicing.

    He said: “Our aim is to help Lagos State with expertise and training. There is nothing like the equipment in the entire Africa. They are modern both in technology and operation and we are determined to help the government to keep them in top shape for a very long time to come.”

    The Director of the Fire Service, Mr Rasak Fadipe praised the government for the investment in the department.

    He said the investment was morale booster for his men. He assured the government that officers and men of the service would continue to make the state proud.

    The Lagos State Fire Service became fully operational on August 31, 1972 with a three-man crew of fire fighters headed by an expatriate Chief Fire Officer named Sir Allan Flemming.

    Currently, the state’s Fire Service personnel strength stands at over 150. The service operates 13 Fire Stations, with two newly completed ones ready to be inaugurated.

     

     

     

  • Group sensitises public on HIV/AIDS

    Group sensitises public on HIV/AIDS

    In line with the United Nations directive that December 1 each year be set aside to recognise and celebrate survivors/People Living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA), the AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria (APIN), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has commemorated this year’s World AIDS Day in Lagos.

    The theme for commemoration was: “Closing the gap” in HIV education, prevention, care and PLWHA.

    It was aimed at getting the number of people living with HIV and AIDS down to zero.

    Not only that the group held programmes to sensitise residents on the dangers of HIV/AIDS, it also distributed materials that could help curtail the spread.

    The group distributed items, such as condoms, ribbons and other prevention tools. Nigerians were also encouraged to go for tests to know their status.

    Prior to the community advocacy, the various support groups under APIN, organised a workshop on ways to project awareness of the disease and how they could pool strategies towards getting the government’s attention and other action plans.

    They were there to show their solidarity in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Some of the advocacy groups included NEPHWAN, SMEDAN; representative of Police Hospital Falomo, LASUTH, NIMR, LUTH, Lagos State AIDS Control Agency and other support groups.  They advocated against stigmatisation, prejudice and discrimination against people living with HIV and AIDS.

    In a message, Executive Officer of United Nations AIDS Day, Mikel Sidibe said this year’s edition of World AIDS Day is the 26th since its inception in 1988 and the commemoration provides stakeholders the opportunity to review successes achieved across all regions, even as he said it served as a reminder to the public that HIV has not been eliminated regardless of scientific advances made in HIV treatment and prevention.

    He added that there was still hope of reducing the disease down to zero.

    Chief Research Fellow, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Dr Dan Onwujekwe, said the World AIDS Day has served as a platform for where global policy makers, donor agencies, development partners and programme managers converge to address the gaps to achieve universal access to care and treatment.

    The workshop featured a presentation of the history of the Red Ribbon which symbolises care and concern. It is an insignia that enkindles support for the community.

    Among issues discussed at the workshop were practical policies to motivate PLH and the way forward despite their status and brainstorming on how they can create opportunities for those with the ailment and address the issue of poverty and stigma.

    The group noted that the health insurance scheme had not been helpful to people living with the virus. It therefore urged the government to build capacity, implement and bring to fruition policies at the national level.

  • Free eye treatment for Ogun communities

    The MTN Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS) arm of the telecom service provider, has begun the execution of the second phase of its Eyesight Restoration Intervention Scheme (MTNF EyeRIS), in Ogun State, even as Governor Ibikunle Amosun praised it for the initiative.

    No fewer than 6,000 patients are expected to benefit from the free eye care and corrective surgeries of the MTNF EyeRIS. The first phase began some months back.

    Some of the beneficiaries had free surgery for cataract while others received reading glasses to treat presbyopia and medications for various ocular diseases.

    At the inauguration of the programme at the State Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta, Amosun said: “Early detection can prevent blindness or any other eye diseases,” adding that the MTNF is complementing the administration’s war against blindness.

    Amosun, who was represented by the Commissioner for Health, Olaokun Soyinka, said MTN’s intervention attested to the bond of partnership between the state government and the telecom service provider.

    Amosun said: “This intervention further demonstrates the strong partnership between the Ogun State Government and MTN Foundation in our shared value of assisting the under-privileged in the society.”

    Some of the beneficiaries praised the MTN Foundation and the state government for giving them the opportunity to regain their sight.

    Director, MTN Foundation, Mr. Dennis Okoro, said no fewer than 6,000 people are expected to be screened for cataracts and other ocular diseases in Ogun State and its environs.

    He noted that the project, which enjoys the endorsement of the Federal Ministry of Health, is being implemented in partnership with the Eye Foundation Centre for Prevention of Blindness (EFCPB) and in collaboration with ministries of health of beneficiary states.

    According to him, many cases of blindness and visual impairment in the country are preventable, as the foundation had, in the past one year, been actively engaged in the war to eradicate visual disabilities.

    “Since its launch in April last year, a total of 33,364 patients in six states have been treated for cataracts and other ocular diseases.”

    Okoro said the foundation intends to contribute towards increasing the cataracts surgical rate from 0.1% to 0.7% in the selected states, as this is in consonance with the World Health Organisation’s Vision 2020 Right to Sight Initiative.

    Mr Okoro further said MTN Foundation currently has 341 project sites across the six geo-political zones of the country, disclosing that it has spent over N10 billion on social projects in the areas of health, education and economic empowerment.

    He said: “Aside from the three major portfolios, the foundation also proactively responds to national emergencies, providing millions of Naira worth of urgent relief materials to victims of such occurrences.

    “In the first phase of the MTNF EyeRIS project, Osun, Niger, Delta, Abia, Sokoto and Jigawa states benefitted from the intervention through eye screenings and surgeries as well as the provision of eye glasses and drug packs for the beneficiaries.”

  • Cleric warns against 2015

    The Founder/General Overseer, Imole Ayo Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Adalemo in Ogun State, Primate Dr. Peter O. Omoleye, has advised Nigerians to shun violence in 2015 general elections.

    He spoke at the grand finale of the church’s Ark of Convenant Anniversary held penultimate Saturday.

    Omoleye said credible leaders could only emerge when politicians play according to the rule, avoid crisis, bloodshed and assassination.

    He further said Nigerian leaders should evolve better policies and programmes that would elevate the country instead of engaging in do-or-die politics that does not promote democracy.

    “It is advisable for Nigerian leaders to remain focused and let the love of the country be uppermost in their minds, even as he said that Nigeria could compete favourably with advance countries.

    “Nigerians should continue to pray to God for bloodshed to end in the country,” he said.

    Omoleye, also appealed to youths to avoid being used as thugs in the coming election and to stop engaging in illicit acts such as secret cults, certificate forgery/racketeer, drug abuse, human trafficking, robbery, alcoholism and all forms of vices.

    He urged them to imbibe good habits that could take the country to greater height.

  • ‘Shield women from violence’

    ‘Shield women from violence’

    The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Lagos State Area Unit, has called on the United Nations and Amnesty International to help in curbing violence against women, particularly young girls.

    A statement by MSSN Amir (President), Alhaji Kaamil Kalejaiye, praised the United Nations General Assembly for setting aside a day to create awareness on violence against women, even as he urged government at all levels to respect the rights of every citizen, especially women and girls.

    Kalejaiye said: “As a Muslim student organisation, we commend the UN for setting aside a day like this to address violence against women. In recent times, there have been different violations against women more than ever before. Women are subjected to rape, domestic violence and other forms of violence; and it is unfortunate that most of them go unreported.

    “We also have cases of school girls being subjected to harassment because they want to exercise their religious rights as entrenched in the Nigerian Constitution. We have on record, many cases of these victimisations which were orchestrated by the government. It is sad that the perpetrators of these inhuman and barbaric acts have not been brought to book.”

    The MSSN leader recalled that on February 5, last year, Aisha Alabi (15), a JSS II student of Kadara Junior High School, Ebute Metta Lagos was given 43 strokes of the cane on the assembly ground by her Principal, Mrs. E.C Ukpaka just because Aisha did not remove her hijab after her Islamic Religious Knowledge class, where it is ordinarily permitted to adorn the hijab.

    “The same year,” he said, “another student, Bareerah Tajudeen of Mafoloku Senior Grammar School, Oshodi had her hijab removed and trampled upon by her Principal, Mrs. Elizabeth Omidele, outside the school premises.

    The action led to the suspension of the student who was said to be preparing for her Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE).”

    Kalejaiye urged Amnesty International and other relevant agencies to investigate the abuses, and punish the culprits accordingly.

    He said the significance of the event will be defeated if appropriate authorities fail to collectively fight persecution against women, especially the young ones.

    “Women’s rights are of fundamental importance to every society. Just like their male counterparts, the women also have rights to live and exercise their God-given rights,” he said.

  • Cancer: Survivors relive ordeal at UCH’s anniversary

    Cancer: Survivors relive ordeal at UCH’s anniversary

    But for the timely intervention of medical experts from the University College Hospital (UCH), cancer would have claimed the lives of victims of the ailment.

    In recent years, the UCH has risen to the challenge of saving the lives of more than 200 cancer patients as it boasts medical experts that treat cancer-related diseases. In the circumstances, during the institution’s 57th anniversary, it brought together over 20 of its cancer survivors to celebrate them and for them to relive their ordeal.

    Addressing the happy survivors, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of UCH, Prof. Temitope Alonge said: “As they share their stories, it will give hope to many Nigerians and encourage many more to seek medical attention on account of any suspicious growth or tumours or general feeling of unwell which might be the onset of some cancers.

    “Cancer is the general terminology ýfor a group of over 100 diseases characterised by abnormal uncontrolled multiplication of abnormal cells leading to a growth in most instances, except in cancers involving blood cells.

    “Global data revealed about 12.7 million cancer cases in 2008 with 1.7 million newly diagnosed breast cancer cases in the same year. Cancer rates have increased sharply in 2012 and the World Health Organisation (WHO) has predicted an increase in the years to come with new cases predicted to rise to 19.1 million by 2025 in line with the growth in world’s population and an increase in life expectancy.

    “Cancer is no respecter of persons, race, age, religion, tribe, class, marital status or economic powers and the diagnosis of cancer are often perceived as death sentence in Nigeria and among Nigerians. This is not the perception in developed countries. These cancer survivors are people who have had cancer ailment which have either been controlled or treated fully.”

    According to him, breast cancer remains the leading cause of deaths in women in less developed countries closely followed by cervical cancer occurring in 34.8 per 100,000 women.

    Prof. Alonge further stated that in the male folk, prostate cancer is the most devastating and commonest cause of deaths, even as it has been reported that about 14 Nigerian men are most likely to succumb to the disease.

    He said: “As with communicable diseases which are now targets of intense treatment after decades of research activities, cancer treatment now receives a multi-modal approach ýin most developing countries and this has resulted in a lot of clients surviving the ailments in those countries.”

    Prof. Alonge attributed the increase in cancer survivors to the establishment of cancer institutions in most countries, which provide comprehensive cancer treatment.

    “While India has over 120 comprehensive cancer institutions, Nigeria does not have a single one and this is probably the main impediment in providing comprehensive care for people who are down with cancers.

    “The story of survivors would have been different if the country has at least one comprehensive institute for canýcer. UCH has the largest number of manpower to accommodate a comprehensive cancer institute apart from the vast land space in the second acquisition of the hospital,” he said.

    Prof. Alonge stated that with a comprehensive cancer centre at UCH, Ibadan, cancer survivors will not only enjoy better quality of health care, but will also enjoy improved standard of living.

    To the survivors he said: “As the hospital celebrates its 57th anniversary, ýwe celebrate your courage and that of your relations who have stood by you as you underwent various treatment modalities in this hospital. You are very precious to this great institution and there is no better time to celebrate with you than the anniversary of the hospital.

    “This is a day of sharing, celebrating and rejoicing with our cancer survivors. We had an opportunity to celebrate our successes and recognise the tremendous courage and perseverance that cancer patients and survivors exhibit every day. It was truly an inspirational experience for us all.”ý

    Mrs Oluwatayo Omotoye, a middle-aged cancer survivor, thanked God and the management of the UCH for curing her of the deadly diseases.

    According to her, all hopes were lost when she was diagnosed of breast cancer, adding that hope returned when she started the treatment at the hospital.

    “Although some people who have had this same ailment did not make it, Nigerians do not need to travel abroad for cancer treatment, because UCH has the right medical expertise and equipment to treat cancer disease. Nigerians should go for regular medical check-ups for early detection of any form of diseases,” she said.

    Omotoye said government needs to establish cancer treatment centres in order to reduce the loads on hospitals.

    She noted that Nigerians should change their perception about cancer which they regard as deadly disease, stressing that ýshe is a living witness to cancer cure.

    Another survivor, who spoke in confidence, said when she was diagnosed of breast cancer in 2003, she taught the end had come.

    She said: “My baby was five years old then and I was crying because there is nobody to take good care of her.

    “I was wondering how I will survive it. Some people even advised me not to go to hospital because, they said, they will complicate my case. But I decided to come to UCH from Delta State where I live. Since 2003 when I began the treatment till date, I have been coming for follow-up treatment and check-up every year and I have been doing fine.”

    She urged government to provide more equipment and cancer treatment centres for proper treatment of the ailment, adding that it will go a long way to saving many lives.

    She urged cancer survivors in the country to ensure adequate follow-ups and medical check-ups.

    Mrs Aganwonyi Evelyn, another survivor, said she did not experience any pain when the ailment began in 2012, adding that she only noticed a lump inside her breast. It was when she went for a test that it was revealed that she had breast cancer.

    Mrs Evelyn, who said she lost two of her aunts to breast cancer, said her cancer was cured when she began receiving treatment at the UCH.

    She commended the hospital for their care, urging Nigerians with the same ailment not to lose hope but should seek urgent medical attention.

    The Head of Physiotherapy, UCH Dr Adefemi Afolabi stated that death cases arising from cancer are due to late access to medical care, even as he urged Nigerians to report immediately any strange symptom in the body.

     

  • Ogun community rues govt’s neglect

    Ogun community rues govt’s neglect

    Historically, Ijebu-Imusin in Ijebu-East Local Government Area of Ogun State is said to be 1,000 years old, even as some of those indigenous to the town believe it is much older.

    Those who accept as true the fact that the agrarian town which also has the good fortune of producing some of the country’s finest military generals, leading lights in the legal profession, surveying, education, medicine, accounting, architecture and journalism, among others, is much older as suggested by some, assert that the town came into existence at the same time with the Asian Tiger, China about 3,000 years ago.

    Aside the Oloko, the town has five monarchs who are traditionally referred to as Magusen (Itamarun), Obelu (Esure), Oyebola (Igbaga), Ogirimadagbo (Ilodo) and Elesugbon (Esugbon).

    There is also the sixth-Kunnusi of Idokunnusi, whose traditional ruler-elect is Prince B.J. Adetola while the Oloko, Oba Stephen Onafowokan, a first-class monarch in the state, is the head of all the monarchs in Ijebu-Musin.

    It is about the largest town in Ijebu land and boasts 42 communities or villages, a micro-finance bank, first-rate eye foundation centre, modern e-library and health care centres, among others which the community established through self-help efforts as well as a Federal Government Science and Technical College.

    Penultimate Saturday, members of the community gathered at their civic centre in their thousands, adorned in their colourful uniforms, for the 70th Imusin Day (Odun Omo Olumusin), the issue of the day was not whether the town is 1,000 or 3,000 years old but that of a self-appraisal; to ascertain if Imusin and her people are developing as they ought to.

    They admitted that much progress, albeit self-help driven, have been made, even as they had their worries about some areas that needed to be developed.

    The roads, drainage system and other basic amenities are either in deplorable state or non-existent. The town’s local market, though a veritable revenue base for the local government area, is in a sorry state.

    Infrastructure and location of schools in parts of the town at the other side of the Ijebu-Ode -Ore Expressway, namely Iwaya, Idomodu, Ododeyoruwa and Odosiwonade, which the Oloko appealed to the then Gbenga Daniel- administration to fix, still remained unattended to.

    It was alleged that children from the said communities travel between five and seven kilometres from home to attend secondary schools in other towns.

    Retired Maj-Gen Samson Adewunmi Odunsi captured the essence when he urged the town to take cognisance of its over 1,000 years of civilisation and determine if it has done well or not.

    Odunsi, who is the President, Ijebu-Imusin Planning Body (IPB), noted that 80 per cent of the developments in the town is through communal efforts, adding that the past and present governments-federal, state and local, have not been fair to them.

    He said there is the belief that the Ijebu-Imusin is about 3,000 years old and existed at the same time with China. He wondered where anybody would place and compare the town with China.

    Odunsi said:”The developments in the town, 80 per cent of them are through communal effort. The government is not doing anything here. What is our offence?

    “The government, past and present is not fair to us. We are only asking for our own fair share of government’s presence. Should we live a better life than our children?”

    According to him, the urban renewal projects-roads and bridges, of the state government are “fanciful and good” but are in wrong locations.

    He advised the state and local governments to pay more attention to the people in rural areas and put in place, facilities that would make life easier and better for them.

    Also contributing, the town’s paramount ruler and Oloko of Ijebu-Imusin, Oba Stephen Adedeji Onafowokan, who seemed to have lost hope of government’s assistance, made case for members of the community and friends to be encouraged to invest in Ijebu-Imusin.

    Onafowokan said: “The government, local and state, have abandoned Ijebu-Imusin for long. They need to treat Ijebu-Imusin as an urban area. The intra and inter-city roads are in a very bad shape with non-existent or poor drainage system. Ijebu-Imusin markets deserve a befitting facelift.

    “It is a regional market patronised by traders beyond our local government and state; a major revenue generating sector for our local government.”

    Concerning the socio-economic well-being of the community, the monarch regretted that a number of industries-Botam, Josel, Manilla, Temple and Golders and Egja-Meceng, among others that were hitherto the pride of the town and its people, are now “moribund.”

  • Fear grips residents as gunmen attack Ekiti prison

    Fear grips residents as gunmen attack Ekiti prison

    The peaceful night rest of residents of Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, was on November 30 shattered by a vicious attack on the federal prisons located on Afao Road by gunmen whose identity is yet to be known. ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA examines the impact of the attack.

    They were having a sound sleep in preparation for the hustling and bustling of a week which promises to be busy. Night had fallen, the birds in the surrounding bush chirping away and nocturnal harmattan breeze penetrating the inner recesses of the homes nearby.

    There was absolute silence in an area a bit far from the city centre, human and vehicular movement almost nil as it is in most parts of Ado-Ekiti, a city where residents retire to bed so early.

    Shops were closed, schools, offices, places of worship under lock and key with the unpredictability of darkness looming large. Most of the residents would have greeted one another “goodnight” hoping to exchange the “good morning greetings again in few hours’ time.

    They never knew that danger was lurking around; they never knew that death was around the corner lying in wait ferociously for the next prey in a country where life is seemingly cheap.

    As most of the inhabitants of Ado-Ekiti were already in their sleep, the messengers of death crept in unannounced, armed with lethal weapons to be unleashed with fury never witnessed before.

    Their target: the Federal Prisons, Ado-Ekiti tucked away in what used to be a virgin land off Afao Road in the North-eastern flank of the city.

    Residents whose houses are not far from the prisons were woken up by loud sound of blazing guns, dynamites and other leather weapons unleashed on the facility.

    One after the other, they were forced to wake up, with some saying their last prayers because they thought the enemy was already at their doorposts.

    Some turned themselves to emergency prayer warriors urging the Almighty to come to their aid and save them from the jaws of death.

    Who could they be? Where are they coming from? What was their mission? When will they leave? Are they Boko Haram militants? Are they armed robbers? Why the booming guns and other weapons of mass destruction in one of most peaceful neighbourhoods of Ado-Ekiti?

    More questions but unfortunately answers were not forthcoming immediately. But they got to know in the early hours of Monday that it was the prisons that were attacked.

    Even with the cessation of gunfire, many were still afraid to venture out of their homes for fear of the unknown. Terror-stricken residents who had the courage to move out gathered in groups discussing the incidents in hushed tones.

    After the smoke of the attack had cleared, at least one prison officer was dead, 20 security dogs killed, the main prison gate blown off and palpable fear enveloped the city.

    Originally, the prison has the capacity to hold 200 inmates but it contained 435 inmates at the time of the attack. They are made up of convicted inmates, condemned inmates and awaiting trial inmates.

    The facility is relatively new; having been inaugurated for use in 2012 following its relocation from the old site in Okesa, very close to the Government House in the heart of the city.

    The relocation of the old facility apart from the fact that it was too congested was also to make way for the construction of the Civic Centre and Museum.

    The old prisons, apart from being located in the heart of Ado-Ekiti, was also very close to the state judiciary headquarter, housing the High Courts and the Magistrates’ Courts where inmates on trial are taken on their respective dates.

    This means that when the prison was located on its former site, inmates on trial used to arrive in the court between two or three minutes depending on the traffic situation of the day.

    All that has changed since the facility was relocated to Afao Road, about eight kilometres from the old site. People in this area are used to the blaring of siren from prison vehicles conveying inmates on trial to courts on their appointed dates.

    From all indications, the attack was least prepared for by officers and men of the Ado-Ekiti Prisons despite the similar ones carried out in other parts of the country.

    To the officers and men of the Ekiti State Command of the Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS), it was a bolt from the blues and a hit below the belt which will never be forgotten in a hurry; being the first time they were experiencing such an attack.

    The Nation gathered from credible prison sources that the gunmen invaded the facility at 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 30 and operated unhindered till about 1: 45 a.m. on Monday.

    As soon as they stormed the prisons, the gunmen detonated a bomb and launched an orgy of shootings that lasted for about 45 minutes.

    Some prisons sources claimed that the gunmen, who were believed to be about 60 in number, arrived in Hilux vans and chanted “Allahu Akbar”, “Allahu Akbar”, “Allahu Akbar” announcing their arrival with staccato of gunshots.

    This initially gave them away as Boko Haram extremists but another source said it couldn’t have been Boko Haram insurgents on the grounds that “no member of the terrorist group is being held inside the facility”.

    The source said the chants of “Allahu Akbar” chanted by the gunmen might have been a dummy to mask the identity and confused their victims about their real identity.

    A prisons officer was killed in the incident while unspecified number of men of the service was injured in the attack.

    A woman believed to be the wife of the slain officer was wailing controllably. She was being consoled by sympathisers and later led away from the scene.

    The impact of the bombing on the facility was felt in places like Adebayo, Oke-Ila, Fajuyi, Okesa and the Ekiti State University (EKSU) campus and the adjoining Iworoko community.

    The loud bang of the bombing was deafening to the extent that inmates fled in various directions either to escape being killed by the invading gunmen or to use the opportunity of the confusion to run away from justice.

    As soon as the Ekiti State Police Command got wind of the incident, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu led battle-ready men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to the scene.

    With the departure of the gunmen, all the police could do was to weave a heavy security cordon around the facility to prevent a further attack and escape of more inmates.

    Reporters who learnt of the incident were denied entry into the facility which was guarded by fully-armed security men. They were not allowed to take the pictures of the affected parts of the facility.

    The State Comptroller of Prisons, Mr. Kehinde Fadipe, described the incident as “both bombing and shooting”.

    He denied being aware of any prison officer killed, even as he expressed regrets that a good number of inmates were released by the gunmen.

    Fadipe, who was apparently disturbed by the incident, could not immediately give the exact number of those who escaped, saying his command would give a figure of escapees later.

    Fadipe said: “We are moving around to assess the situation. It was not a jailbreak but an attack on the prison. The main entrance of the prison was broken.

    “What happened was that we were attacked from outside and not from within, they came massively with different weapons. They attacked our men on duty and we had been around since 10:30 p.m. yesterday (Sunday).”

    The prisons chief revealed that some of the inmates who escaped are being re-arrested, adding that he had been assured of co-operation by sister security agencies in a bid to arrest more of the escapees.

    Fadipe said he did not believe that the attack was carried out by Boko Haram, stressing that none of their members is being held at the prisons.

    He also dismissed insinuations in some quarters that members of the O’odua Peoples Congress (OPC) carried out the attack in a bid to free their leader, Niyi Adedipe, who is on remand at the prisons for murder.

    Fadipe said Adedipe was still inside the prison yard and did not make any attempt to escape.

    Despite the fact that the attack, from all indications, was similar to the ones recorded in various parts of the country and appeared not to be politically-motivated, it was later clothed in the garb of politics by local politicians who had been at each others’ throats over some issues.

    A news item on the attack which was described as “ breaking news” was related by presenters of a popular Yoruba newspaper review programme,  ”Lati Inu Aka” on the state-owned Ekiti 91.5 FM sparked a big row between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The presenters of the programme claimed that the information they received was to the effect that the attack was allegedly carried out by suspected APC thugs to free OPC leader Adedipe also known as “Apase”.

    Adedipe is being held on remand in connection with the murder of a former Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Omolafe Aderiye.

    Also being held inside the prison yard in connection with the killing of the former NURTW boss is the acting chairman of the state chapter of the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Bayo Aderiye also known as Ojugo.

    The allegation enraged the opposition camp in the state which described it as another ploy by the PDP-led administration which controls the radio station to tarnish the image of the APC and frame up opposition politicians.

    The state APC Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun, in a telephone chat with reporters denied the involvement of his party in the attack on prisons, wondering what will his party gain in launching an attack on the prisons.

    “What shall we gain for doing that? We cannot do such things. It is not in our character to do such things.

    ”Very soon, the PDP and the governor will have to accuse God for running a clueless government and for their shortcoming.

    “This is a figment of imagination of a clueless government and I want to ask, is it the APC that is in charge of the prison or the security of the state?

    “It is the figment of their imagination that the APC is connected with the breaking of the prison. We don’t know anything about it.”

    Governor Ayo Fayose, in his immediate reaction, condemned the attack on the Federal Prisons, Ado-Ekiti by gunmen, saying those who perpetrated the attack will not know peace.

    The governor stated this while performing the swearing-in of the new Head of Service, Mr. Gbenga Faseluka, five Permanent Secretaries and three special advisers.

    Speaking at the event, Fayose described the gunmen who blew up the prisons as “evil people”, regretting the escape of many prisoners in the attack.

    He said: “We regret the jailbreak perpetrated by the evil people who led to the escape of many inmates.

    “I want you to know that I have the grace of God on me and whoever plans against us shall be destroyed. My prayer is that they will not know peace.”

    Meanwhile, the state police command has declared that no stone would be left unturned to apprehend the fleeing inmates as it is collaborating with the authorities of the prisons to arrest the escapees.

    The state police spokesman, Victor Babayemi disclosed that the vicinity of the prisons has been cordoned off while security in and around the place has been tightened.

    He further revealed that some of the escapees have been re-arrested while others still at large are being trailed.

    Babayemi urged residents not to panic on the incident as the “situation has been brought under control”.

    At the time of writing this report, a total number of 193 out of the 435 inmates who were inside the facility at the time of the attack, have been re-captured. This was disclosed in Abuja by the NPS spokesperson, Ope Fatinikun.

    While explaining that efforts are on to apprehend those who are still at large, Fatinikun appealed to Nigerians, especially the nearest communities and neighbouring states of Ondo, Kogi, Kwara, Osun and Edo to be vigilant and watch out for suspicious individuals and report them to the nearest prisons or police stations.

    Still angered by the development, Governor Fayose called for the immediate transfer of all officers of the Federal Prisons, Ado-Ekiti out of the state for their alleged negligence and dereliction of duty which aided the attack.

    Fayose, during a visit to the facility, expressed anger with the prison officials for allegedly allowing inmates access to telephones and other electronic gadgets which he suspected contributed in one way or the other to the attack.

    He regretted that allowing hardened criminals facing serious charges like murder, rape, robbery and other violent crimes access to communication gadgets constitute a high security risk.

    The governor predicated his demand on the suspicion that prison officials might have connived with the unknown gunmen who stormed the place and freed over 300 inmates.

    He said: “The way and manner the bloody attack was successfully carried out without much resistance suggested suspicion of connivance.”

    Fayose wondered why the prisons authorities failed to use the tower at the facility.

    During the governor’s visit, there was a scuffle among some prison officials and journalists.

    The shouting match was due to the overzealousness of some prison officials who were not comfortable with the presence of newsmen who insisted on taking photographs.

    This enraged the prison officer but the situation was later brought under control following the intervention of senior officers and officials in the governor’s convoy.

    However, the state police boss, Lakanu has expressed the readiness of the state command to assist the Federal Prisons, Ado-Ekiti in beefing up security around the premises.

    He told newsmen while on a follow-up visit to the prisons that since it was apparent that the combatant men and arms squad unit of the prisons could not manage the security situation at the prison alone, his men would be deployed to ensure reinforcement.

    Lakanu revealed that the escapee inmates who were picked up at various towns such as Ido-Ekiti, Ikere-Ekiti and Ado-Ekiti were currently being detained at various police stations in the state.

    The attack on the Ado-Ekiti Prisons has affected court cases involving inmates at the Magistrate’s Courts and High Courts in the Ado-Ekiti Judicial Division.

    Many of the suspects usually brought to court are believed to have escaped during the attack on the prisons.

    Some of the inmates who fled the prisons voluntarily returned and turned themselves over to the authorities.

    The gunmen opened doors for all inmates at the prison facility and asked them to escape, The Nation gathered.

    The state police command spokesman, Babayemi, at another forum disclosed that “the very notorious ones facing murder and robbery charges” are among those just apprehended.

    Babayemi revealed that the OPC leader Adedipe a.k.a. Apase and RTEAN chief Aderiye were not among those who escaped.

    He said Lakanu personally led a patrol team to a “notorious spot” where 10 of the escapees were arrested after what he called a “serious exchange of gunfire”.

    According to him, the escapees were picked up in different parts of the state through the efforts of various police divisions, saying efforts are still on to apprehend inmates who are still at large.

    Babayemi revealed that those re-arrested would be charged for a fresh offence of jailbreak which he described as a criminal offence, saying escaping from lawful custody constitutes a new offence.

    He said: “The CP led a team yesterday (Monday) night to some of the hideouts and there was a serious exchange of gunfire. We had intelligence report where they were hiding.

    “At that notorious spot, 10 of those who escaped were re-arrested but no life was lost. But I want to add that investigation continues.

    “Operation is still ongoing, the DPOs are still bringing their reports and we have also asked the prisons authorities to give us the actual number of the escapees.

    “Some of them said they ran for cover to escape being hit by the bullets fired by the gunmen. Apase and Ojugo were not among the notorious ones re-arrested.

    “The attackers opened the cell doors and told them to escape; it was not a natural occurrence some people are behind the attack. We are investigating it to determine if there is any complicity.”

    Fayose, who denied harbouring the prison escapees in the Government House accused the APC of harbouring inmates who escaped from the prison, accusing the party of fabricating lies.

    The governor said the APC is making the latest allegation with the intention of diverting the attention of the public from their “criminal tendencies”.

    The APC, in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Chief Olatubosun, accused Governor Fayose of complicity in the attack on the prison following conflicting statements on the incident between him and his aide, Lere Olayinka.

    The party said while the governor blamed the prison officials for complicity, Olayinka accused APCý of masterminding the crime to free Niyi Adedipe, who was in prison custody over alleged complicity in the murder of drivers’ union boss, Omolafe Aderiye.

     

  • Disquiet in Lagos community over gas pipeline project

    Disquiet in Lagos community over gas pipeline project

    The Escravos-Lagos gas pipeline expansion project is under threat as Igbooye community in Epe, a Lagos suburb, insists it be paid compensation, even as it demands that Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) be carried out. ADEBISI ONANUGA reports. 

    The Igbooye community in Epe, a Lagos suburb, is known for its peace and tranquillity which the residents relish. This state of affairs has been ageless as their forebears loathed strife. That was in the yesteryear.

    The peace and calmness that had been the features of the community got shattered few weeks back as the people of the ancient town took to the streets to protest against the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Zakhem Construction Company Limited over their refusal to pay compensation for their lands which the two organisations encroached into in the second phase of Escravos-Lagos gas pipeline project.

    Residents of the community were also demanding that Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) be conducted on their land encroached upon by the gas pipeline as required by law for the safety of the environment.

    The people, who are majorly farmers, claimed to have lost about 10 kilometre stretch of their farmlands to the project, including other environmental consequences they may have to contend with as a direct consequence of the project.

    The protest was spearheaded by the community’s heads of the various ruling houses and families, including Alhaji Mikhail Kadiri, Otunba Abdulwasiu Musa-Adebamowo, Alhaji Waidi Lasisi from Erelu Ruling House, Alhaji Safiriyu Bakare from Osikadewa Ruling House and Apostle Matthew Odunlami from Shamba Ruling House, among others.

    On November 12, this year, the people made good their threat as they marched to the construction sites, forcing the workers to move their caterpillars, giant generators and welding machines out of Igbooye land to the neighbouring Ibonwon town.

    They defied the directive of the monarch of the town, the Orijeru of Igbooye land, Oba Michael Gbadebo Onakoya, who was alleged to have emboldened the NNPC and staff of the construction firm, Zakhem to carry on with their job.

    Alhaji Kadiri, who was at the head of the protest, told the construction workers that they would not be allowed to work until the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) meets the community’s demands.

    Kadiri alleged that the NNPC and the construction company reneged on payment of compensation to the community and the families whose lands were encroached into as a result of the gas pipeline project.

    He said the elders of the community had exchanged correspondence with the DPR, under whose supervision the NNPC operates as a subsidiary, on the issues but that the corporation has been economical with the truth.

    About five months ago, the Head of the Ewade Ruling House, Otunba Abdulwasiu Musa-Adebamowo had written the Director, DPR, Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island to remind the department of an earlier letter dated March 3, this year, complaining over the refusal of the construction company, Zakhem Constructions, to pay compensation to the community.

    “It is therefore pertinent that this issue is attended to, particularly now that the laying of the gas pipeline is approaching our community which may be resisted,” he warned.

    In his earlier letter to the DPR, Otunba Musa-Adebamowo had complained that since after the September, 2012 meeting between the representatives of the NNPC led by its Community Relations/Liaison Officer on the project and elders of the community, nothing has been heard from the officer.

    “Although without the knowledge and consent of the elders and chiefs of the community, the EIA report on the project was disputed maliciously by the deposed Oba of Igbooye, M. G. Onakoya whose chieftaincy case is currently on appeal.

    “We therefore pray for your intervention as we are law-abiding citizens. The community may resist the laying of the gas pipeline if the necessary compensations are not paid appropriately,” he said.

    The letters were copied to Assistant Director, Gas, S.A. Babalola and Deputy Director, Gas Division.

    It was gathered that trouble in the community started in March 2012 when some elders of the community held meeting with representatives of the NNPC and the construction company to discuss the issue of compensation on the areas of land affected by the gas pipeline project before work would commence in the area.

    The community was alleged to have been represented at that meeting by the monarch and heads of ruling houses and at which promises of compensation were made. Aside from the name of the monarch and the Odofin, Anthony Oguntimehin, other names listed and alleged to have attended the March 2012 consultation meeting included those of Chief F.O. Adebambo; Chief F.A. Bakare; Bishop P. Odunlami; Chief Nurudeen Tomola; Hon. Afisu Amisu; Mr. Quadri Shuaib and Mr. Lekan Ajayi.

    However, more than a year after the meeting, the community was still waiting for the compensation which the company promised them.

    The monarch has, however, denied being part of the meeting, alleging forgery of his name and signature alongside others listed in the attendance sheet.

    It was gathered that when compensation was no longer forthcoming, some members of the community decided to visit the NNPC to find out the true position of things. There it was revealed to them that “compensation” had been paid to some people alleged to have claimed to be from the community. But neither does anybody knew how much was paid nor who collected the money.

    However, a chain of events, it was revealed, has led to the tensed situation and suspicions in the town.

    The Federal Ministry of Environment, acting on the strength of the compensation supposedly paid to the community, had written the chairman of Epe Local Government Area requesting for a 21-day “public display exercise on the EIA of the proposed construction of Escravos-Lagos pipeline Phase II” by the NNPC from January 14 to February 21, last year.

    The letter, dated January 7, 2013 and signed by Abbas O. Suleiman on behalf of the minister, requested the Chairman of the Epe Local Government Area to publicly display the EIA report in an easily accessible location between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. daily for stakeholders/public comments and to forward all reactions to the Permanent Secretary of the ministry on or before February 18, 2013.

    But at the close of the exercise, nobody showed up, neither did anybody pass any comment from the community on the EIA since they were not part of it.

    It was gathered that the Igbooye community denied the EIA document at a meeting held at the instance of the Chairman of Epe Local Government Area, Otunba Agbaje at the Oba Onakoya’s palace on March 11, last year as none of its members was aware of the purported exercise.

    The view that the purported EIA may be a ruse was further reinforced by a letter dispatched by the council chairman, Otunba Agbaje dated March 11, last year, to the Commissioner, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, of its receipt of the purported EIA report.

    The letter, however, clarified the fact that “no team on EIA from Abuja ever visited the Oba of Igbooye land nor had any meeting with residents or representatives of the community at any point in time.”

    A similar letter dated same day and signed by the Higher Environment Health Officer of the Epe Local Government Area, Osunsanya, Adesola M., was also sent to the Federal Ministry of Environment in Abuja.

    The letter, which contained a six-point situation report on the disputed EIA stated, among others, that the Orijeru of Igbooye land, Oba Onakoya claimed he was at no time invited to any meeting, nor did he send any representative to the consultative forum on or after March 18, 2012 and that his name and signature were forged.

    It stated that “every other names/persons on the EIA report were faceless, unknown and fictitious as they are not residents or representatives of the community.

    It further stated that no member of the EIA team visited the monarch in respect of the project.

    It suggested that a fresh exercise of the EIA be conducted as it affects Igbooye community and that the authentic community members should be consulted appropriately to be in attendance.

    On April 25, last year, the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs forwarded the letter from the Chairman of Epe Local Government Area to the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Cabinet Office Alausa Secretariat.

    The letter, signed by the Permanent Secretary, L.A.D. Dabiri highlighted “certain anomalies bordering on communication gap between the Federal Ministry of Environment and the people of Epe as well as the displeasure of Oba Onakoya”.

    The letter urged the SSG “to play the complementary role of using her good offices to bring the development to the attention of the Federal Ministry of Environment, Abuja and having the EIA re-conducted in the concerned community as requested by the people of Igbooye land in Epe, Lagos State as well as report the case of forgery of signatures to the Minister for Environment.”

    About a month later, the SSG forwarded the letter, signed on his behalf by P.A. Dosunmu and attached documents from the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to the Commissioner, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and requested him to “please look into the issue and thereafter brief his Excellency, the Governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola accordingly”.

    But events in the town, took a new turn when the elders of the town allegedly approached the monarch and asked to know if indeed compensation had been paid as demanded. It was alleged that the monarch rather urged the elders to desist from doing anything that will stop the project.

    The monarch also denied a meeting supposedly held with the representatives of Federal Ministry of Environment led by Prof. Stephen Omoregbe.

    The monarch, in a petition to the Minister of Environment dated March 3, 2013, complained that those who purportedly represented the community “were not members of Igbooye community.

    “On close examination of the minutes of the meeting of the consultative forum dated March 18, 2012, and the names and signatories on the attendance list attached, it was glaring that all signatories on the attendance list were not members of Igbooye community. Also, the Kabiyesi’s name on the list was wrong and the signature forged.”

    The letter, signed by the monarch and Odofin/Community Secretary, A.A. Oguntimehin stated further “…no meeting of such was held at all with our Kabiyesi and any of the high chiefs of the community. We would therefore suggest that a real meeting be arranged so that our community would be assured that the Federal Government meant well for our community,” it stated.

    Attempts to speak with the monarch on the issue failed as he was said to have travelled out of town when reporters visited his palace at Igbooye. His wife, Olori Adenike said only the monarch could speak on the issue.

    However, the Project Manager of the NNPC on the gas pipeline expansion project, Mr. Bello reportedly met with elders and people of the town at the community town hall few days after the protest.

    Sources said Mr. Bello assured the community that they would be compensated appropriately.

    Otunba Musa-Adebamowo, who confirmed the town hall meeting, said the community was requested to forward a fresh letter detailing their demands to the DPR.

    The community was also requested to undertake a measurement of the distance covered by the gas pipeline project within the town and forward same to the DPR while steps would be taken to conduct a fresh Environmental Impact Assessment of the affected land.

    In addition, it was agreed that the companies involved in the project would initiate empowerment programmes for youths of the town, among others.

    But, Alhaji Kadiri vowed that the community would return to trenches if the corporation and the construction company failed to fulfil their promises on payment of compensation.