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Tag: Alagbado

  • Traditional ruler, son, arraigned for alleged murder

    Traditional ruler, son, arraigned for alleged murder

    A traditional ruler, Nojimu Abioye, and his son, Wahab Abioye, were on Wednesday arraigned in an Ikeja High Court, for alleged murder of one Alhaji Olatunji Rasak in 2015.

    Rasaki was said to be an informant for the Economic and Financial Crime Commission ( EFCC ).

    The duo was charged with a two-count charge of conspiracy to commit murder.

    They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    Read also: Court remands pastor in prison for alleged murder

    The Prosecutor, Mr M.T Adewoye, told the court that the Baale of Temidire and his son committed the offences at 10.a.m on July 20, 2015 at the Temidire Area of Alagbado, Lagos.

    “The defendants alongside others who are now at large, murdered Rasak by shooting him with a gun and cutting him with a machete and dangerous weapons,” Adewoye said.

    According to the prosecution, the offences contravene Sections 221 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos, 2011.

    Counsel to the defendants, Mr Adebayo Lawanson, requested that the accused be allowed to maintain the bail granted them during their prior arraignments at the Magistrates’ Court.

    “The accused ever since they were granted bail by the magistrates’ court had never jumped bail,” Lawanson said.

    Obliging the defence counsel, Justice Hakeem Oshodi, ordered that the accused continued with the bail earlier granted them by the magistrates’ court.

    Oshodi adjourned the case until March 19 for trial.

    NAN

  • Alagbado residents task IKEDC on estimated billing

    Alagbado residents task IKEDC on estimated billing

    Some electricity consumers in Alagbado area, Lagos have appealed to the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) to end the challenges of estimated billing system in the area.

    The residents told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos that the billing system was affecting their pockets negatively.

    Mr Akeem Balogun, Chairman of Landlord Association in Alagbado, said that residents would not be able to pay for such bills because they are unacceptable in the face of interrupted service by IKEDC.

    ”We can no longer continue to suffer and pretend as if all is well as regard the crazy bills,” he said.

    Balogun said that the IKEDC office in Fola Azeez, Alakuko directed residents to its office in Ikeja to meet higher officers that may address their grievances.

    He alleged that the marketing officers at Fola Azeez refused to listen to them about the estimated bills.

    ”We are pushed to the wall as the crazy bills was gradually killing us and making life difficult.”

    Mr Fatal Ogundairo, a welder, said that estimated billing system was driving them out of business.

    Ogundairo said that they had to look for alternative ways of generating electricity for their business.

    ”We cannot continue like this because we have family that are looking up to us for their daily living,” he said.

    Another resident, Mr Kunle Oyetunji, urged the management of IKEDC to find lasting solution to the problems of estimated bills by making pre-paid meter available for the people.

    ”Bringing estimated bills for the people without reading the meter is just uncalled for and unreasonable.

    “We do not see the reason IKEDC cannot brace up for this kind of challenge by providing pre-paid meters because they knew that this will put stop to all their crazy bills,” Oyetunji, a civil servant said.

    Mr Felix Ofulue, the Head of Corporate Communications of IKEDC, said that the company bill customers according to what they use.

    He noted that the amount they charged customers depends on the hours of light enjoyed, adding that the company would soon provide pre-paid meters to all customers in the area.

  • Businesswoman faces N1.2m fraud charge

    Businesswoman faces N1.2m fraud charge

    A businesswoman, Chidinma Okoro, who allegedly defrauded two men of N1.2 million, was on Wednesday arraigned in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.

    The accused, 44, who resides at No. 2, Church St., Ogundare Estate, Aminkanle area of Alagbado in Lagos, is facing a two-count charge of fraud and stealing.

    The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Peter Nwangwu, told the court that the accused committed the offences between Feb. 2 and Aug. 30, 2014, at his residence.

    He alleged that the accused fraudulently obtained the cash sum of N1.2million from the complainants, Mr Emenike Daniel and Mr Utoh Chijioke.

    “The accused collected the said amount from the complainants on the pretext of supplying them goods from the U.S and U.K, as agreed upon,” he said.

    Nwangwu alleged that the complainants paid the sum of N1.2million into the Access Bank and Zenith Bank accounts of the accused.

    He told the court that Okoro reneged on the agreement and refused to refund the money to the complainants.

    “The accused absconded and relocated to an unknown destination until she was recently apprehended by the police,” Nwangwu said

    The offences contravened Sections 285 and 313 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 313 prescribes a 15-year jail term for offenders, while Section 285 stipulates three years imprisonment.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Y.O. Aje-Afunwa, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000, with two sureties in like sum.

    She said the sureties must show evidence of three years tax payment to the Lagos State Government and adjourned the case until June 17,  for hearing.

     

  • Nigerian community where health insurance costs $1

    Nigerian community where health insurance costs $1

    [dropcap]C[/dropcap]an one dollar fetch a health insurance in Nigeria? Much as this appears impossible, recent developments at Alagbado, a developing community on the outskirts of Lagos State is proving this to be possible.

    Mrs. Victoria Ayinde, a school teacher who lives in Alagbado said she is aware of the National Health Insurance Scheme but the N25, 000( $125)meagre income she receives as salary for teaching in a secondary school in the centre of the town cannot afford the payment of N750 ($3.75) as monthly premium.
    “After deducting house rent and feeding allowance for my children, the rest of the money is gone. My children come down with Malaria frequently but I take them to the government-owned health centre for treatment.

    “Though consultation is free, I still have to pay for the drugs and other things used in their treatment. But with a Community Health Insurance Scheme where I can get subsidy on premiums, I just may try it out and see the difference it will make”, the widow who has three children stated when she was informed of the development.
    The tale of Olajuwon Amusa, a printer who lives in Alagbado shows the change health insurance can make in the lives of people living in rural communities if they have access to one.
    “My father who worked as a transporter for over 25 years in the north lies at home with arthritis. He is 63 now and he cannot walk properly because the pains in his joint won’t allow him. I have spent all my savings on drugs for him and I can no longer bear the cost of the treatment. I can’t take him back to the hospital because I don’t have money. A man comes here to rub an herbal balm on his legs but there hasn’t been any change. I have heard of Health Insurance but I never considered it because I think it is for people who work in big offices”, he submitted.
    Overtime, access to healthcare by rural folks in many Nigerian communities is faced with myriads of challenges which have led to a burden of communicable diseases as well as increase in non-communicable diseases like cancer, heart diseases and other chronic ailments. Already, outbound medical tourism fueled by poor healthcare in the country is pegged at $500 million annually.
    Stakeholders in Nigeria’s health sector have also argued that since prevalent private expenditure pegged at 63 percent is mostly out-of-pocket, there is an active demand for private healthcare in Nigeria.
    As the MDGs closes in and Nigeria joins the rest of the world in agreeing to a new set of sustainable development goals, there is no doubting the fact that a scale up of community health insurance schemes targeted at rural communities can help ensure healthy lives and promote well being for people of all, at all ages.
    With a gateway opened to residents of Alagbado through a Community Health Insurance Scheme (CHIS) initiated by Optimal Healthcare Limited, the people seem set to be on a pathway to healthy living.
    Dr. Femi Olaleye, the Managing Director of Optimal Healthcare Limited, the organisation introducing the CHIS to Alagbado said the scheme will cover general out-patient services, child welfare services, health education classes, diet- nutrition demonstration classes, weight loss/ monitoring classes, preventive health/breast cancer screening and family health services as well as pregnancy issues.
    Launched in June 12, 2015, the scheme is said to be a grassroots approach to drive health care delivery that is affordable and accessible for the people irrespective of their social class. With the payment of a monthly premium of N200 (less than a dollar at the current exchange rate), members of the community would have access to treatment covering a range of primary healthcare services and preventive care at the health facility.
    Dr. Femi Olaleye, a consultant obstetrician and gynecologist who founded Optimal Healthcare Limited in 2013 and Wish for Africa-a UK registered charity organisation is partnering with FBN MicroFinance Bank to deliver the service to the people of the community.
    Olaleye further disclosed that the National Health Insurance Scheme set up by the federal government in 1999 approves a monthly capitation of N750 ( $3.75) per enrolee.
    “The amount appears too high for a typical family of father, mother and four children under the age of 16 years, a reason why there has been low uptake so far.To help individuals and families cross the hurdle of payment of this fee, we are introducing a monthly subsidy of N550 per head. The subsidy shall be provided by a combination of donors and sponsors brought together by a desire for them to fulfill their corporate social responsibility to the community”, he stated.
    Andin a clime where people are not eager to sign up for health insurance, Olaleye is optimistic that the Alagbado model will be established with members of the community driving the project. He expressed confidence that with the support of CSR driven groups, the project would be extended to other high density, low-income areas of the state where health services are needed.
    “Now that Lagos State Government has signed a bill to support this form of healthcare financing as a policy of government, I believe that on the long run with large number of people enrolling, the scheme shall be sustained and the benefits shall be felt and appreciated by all, especially members of the community”, he told The Nation.