The operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of Lagos State Police Command, has recovered eight stolen vehicles from a member of a syndicate specializing in trans-border crime and stealing vehicles in Lagos and moving them to Ogun and neighbouring countries to sell.
The operatives of RRS, who were working on a reported case of stolen Toyota Corolla from where it was parked in Ikeja Business District, Lagos, tracked the vehicle on Thursday night to a compound in Kobape, Abeokuta, belonging to a car dealer.
According to the report, It was gathered that the Toyota Corolla, grey, 2004 model with registration number, KRD 759, belonging to Mrs. Olaitan Lawal, was removed from the car park during a church programme at Ikeja, at about 6:00 pm on Thursday before it was found around 1:00 a.m. on Friday.
According to the owner of the car, “I took my car to the church and I parked it at the space designated for parking. After the church service, I went back to pick my car to go home, but I couldn’t find the car.”
She continued that, “immediately, I called Lagos emergency line on 112 and I reported to the representative. As if that was not enough, I went straight to Area F in Ikeja, to equally lodge the complaint.
” At the station, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) connected me to the Commander of RRS, Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Olatunji Disu, as capable hand to handle the case.
“The DPO also gave me the Commander’s phone number, and, when I called him, he assured me that my car would be found. By this time, it was around 9:00 p.m. at night.
” At home, I couldn’t sleep until around, 12:15 a.m. after midnight when I saw the Commander’s call requesting that I describe my car. I gave him, and he told me that he had found my car in somewhere in Abeokuta. I couldn’t believe my ears. In about six hours interval, my car was found, “, she added.
The RRS’ surveillance team moved to Abeokuta that same night which led to the arrest of two prime suspects who have confessed their connections with the recovered Corolla and seven other stolen cars presently at the RRS headquarters.
The suspects, Samuel Adebeshin, 56, the receiver of the stolen vehicles, who lives at 13 Kobape Road, Abeokuta, and an accomplice, Adeyemi Kamoru, 50, repeatedly maintained that the eight vehicles were all stolen at different locations in Lagos.
Tag: cars
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Eight stolen cars recovered from syndicate
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Ondo lawmaker doles out cash, cars, others to constituents
The lawmaker representing Akoko Northwest/Northeast Federal Constituency, Hon Friday Olemija, has dolled out cash and other items to his constituents.
Among the items distributed at Ikare-Akoko, headquarters of Akoko Northeast are cars, tricycles, motorcycles, deep freezers, grinding machines, sowing machines, hair dryers, plasma television sets, electricity generating sets, musical instruments and wheel chairs for the handicapped with substantial cash.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker, who is the former chairman of Akoko Northeast Local Government, Ikare-Akoko, praised the people of his constituency for the support rendered to him during the last year general elections.
According to him, “to whom much is given, much is expected from such person and in fulfilment of my campaign promises, I have to make my people happy.”
Olemija said in spite of the economic downturn in the country, he still obliged to put smiles on the faces of the people in his constituency.
He said he had sponsored three bills on roads in the lower chamber to better the lot of his people, while providing boreholes in many towns.
He promised that such gesture would be continuous.
Olemija urged the Ondo State government to pay the salary arrears of the public servants.
“The state government has no reason to owe its workers salary, considering the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and Federal allocation accrued to the state monthly,” he said.
He lamented that no fewer than 35 civil servants and pensioners have died due to lack of money for medication.
The lawmaker, who decried the poor condition of workers in the employ of the Ondo State government, said the state has enough resources to cater for the needs of its workers without leaning on the Federal Government.
He said Ondo State is blessed with abundant mineral resources, and being part of the Niger Delta states receives more allocation than many states in the Southwest, and wondered why the state government owes its workers five months salaries.
Olemija expressed worry on what he described as poor welfare of workers in the state, saying the Mimiko-led administration has little respect for the state’s work force.
He challenged the state government to pay the workers all their outstanding salary arrears, even as he urged the workers to fight for their right and ensure that the state government understands their plight.
He maintained that the state is economically buoyant to pay its workers and execute physical projects in all the Local Government Areas in the state, adding that government’s insensitivity to the welfare of the people accounts for the under development.
The legislator advised the people to vote for APC in the governorship election for the state to experience the development it deserves.
Some beneficiaries of the legislator’s kindness appreciated him for fulfilling part of his promises, urging him to continue impacting on the lives of the people. -
Ondo lawmaker doles out cash, cars, others to constituents
A lawmaker representing Akoko Northeast/Northwest Federal Constituency of Ondo State, Hon. Friday Olemija has distributed empowerment facilities and funds to his constituents in fulfilment of his electoral promises. DAMISI OJO reports.
The lawmaker representing Akoko Northwest/Northeast Federal Constituency, Hon Friday Olemija, has dolled out cash and other items to his constituents.
Among the items distributed at Ikare-Akoko, headquarters of Akoko Northeast are cars, tricycles, motorcycles, deep freezers, grinding machines, sowing machines, hair dryers, plasma television sets, electricity generating sets, musical instruments and wheel chairs for the handicapped with substantial cash.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker, who is the former chairman of Akoko Northeast Local Government, Ikare-Akoko, praised the people of his constituency for the support rendered to him during the last year general elections.
According to him, “to whom much is given, much is expected from such person and in fulfilment of my campaign promises, I have to make my people happy.”
Olemija said in spite of the economic downturn in the country, he still obliged to put smiles on the faces of the people in his constituency.
He said he had sponsored three bills on roads in the lower chamber to better the lot of his people, while providing boreholes in many towns.
He promised that such gesture would be continuous.
Olemija urged the Ondo State government to pay the salary arrears of the public servants.
“The state government has no reason to owe its workers salary, considering the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and Federal allocation accrued to the state monthly,” he said.
He lamented that no fewer than 35 civil servants and pensioners have died due to lack of money for medication.
The lawmaker, who decried the poor condition of workers in the employ of the Ondo State government, said the state has enough resources to cater for the needs of its workers without leaning on the Federal Government.
He said Ondo State is blessed with abundant mineral resources, and being part of the Niger Delta states receives more allocation than many states in the Southwest, and wondered why the state government owes its workers five months salaries.
Olemija expressed worry on what he described as poor welfare of workers in the state, saying the Mimiko-led administration has little respect for the state’s work force.
He challenged the state government to pay the workers all their outstanding salary arrears, even as he urged the workers to fight for their right and ensure that the state government understands their plight.
He maintained that the state is economically buoyant to pay its workers and execute physical projects in all the Local Government Areas in the state, adding that government’s insensitivity to the welfare of the people accounts for the under development.
The legislator advised the people to vote for APC in the governorship election for the state to experience the development it deserves.
Some beneficiaries of the legislator’s kindness appreciated him for fulfilling part of his promises, urging him to continue impacting on the lives of the people.
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Bulletproof cars: Court dismisses Oduah’s suit
Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos, yesterday, dismissed a fundamental rights’ suit filed by Senator Stella Oduah.
The judge upheld an objection by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN).
Justice Abang said he lacked jurisdiction to determine the case because what was complained about did not occur in Lagos, and awarded N15,000 as cost against Oduah.
Justice Mohammed Yunusa, now of the Enugu Division, last August 26, granted an interim injunction restraining anti-graft agencies from taking any action against Oduah pending the determination of her suit.
The case is about two armoured BMW cars bought in 2013 for over N255 million by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) when she was minister of Aviation.
It was reassigned to Justice Abang, who adjourned for judgment before his transfer to Abuja Division. He returned to Lagos to deliver the verdict.
Justice Yunusa barred the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), AGF and Inspector-General of Police from inviting the ex-minister for interrogation.
The order was to subsist until yesterday’s judgment.
Dismissing the suit, Justice Abang upheld the AGF’s preliminary objection challenging the court’s jurisdiction.
The judge held that there was no evidence that the ex-minister’s rights were to be violated in Lagos.
Besides, the judge said it would not amount to a violation of her rights, if the Federal Government had any reason to arraign Oduah in a Lagos State High Court as she alleged.
The AGF contended that by virtue of Section 46(1) of the Constitution and Order 2 Rule 1 of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure, only a court within the state where Oduah’s rights were allegedly violated could hear the case.
”From the applicant’s averments, there is nowhere she mentioned that her rights were or was being breached by the respondents within the territorial space called Lagos.
‘’There is nothing to show that the applicant was invited, arrested or detained in Lagos by any of the respondents in the suit.”
‘’The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos cannot assume jurisdiction to entertain alleged breach of fundamental rights, which did not take place in Lagos State,” AGF’s lawyer T.A. Gazali argued.
Justice Abang agreed with Gazali’s submissions.
The AGF also said Oduah had not established any cause of action against it, having not proved that she was invited, arrested or detained by the AGF.
”The applicant’s suit is not in conformity with Order IX of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules 2009, hence null and void. The applicant’s case for the most part is hypothetical and speculative,” Gazali said.
The vehicles, bought under Oduah’s watch as Aviation minister, were said to have cost N255 million, an amount that sparked outrage.
Oduah, in a supporting affidavit, justified the 2013 purchase of two bullet-proof BMW cars by the NCAA.
The former minister, who represents Anambra North Senatorial District, said the vehicles were bought for the use of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) officials who were in the country to inspect and certify the 22 airports being rehabilitated under her watch.
According to her, the vehicles were acquired to safeguard the foreign officials lives so that they would not be attacked by the rampaging Boko Haram insurgents causing havoc in the Northeast.
Oduah said the bullet proof cars were necessary because the visit of the airport inspectors coincided with “the peak of Boko Haram terrorists’ menace in the country, when the United Nations building and the headquarters of the Police were bombed in Abuja.”
”It was imperative that the NCAA, which is an apex regulatory authority in the Nigerian aviation industry, operating under the SARPs of the ICAO and subject to assessment by ICAO, acquire its own armoured vehicles for use of the ICAO officials coming for inspection and certification at the time,” Oduah said.
She added that the bullet-proof vehicles were captured in the 2013 budget, adding that they were duly procured in line with the Bureau of Public Procurement regulations.
Oduah said the bid to arrest her for a crime she did not commit began as the general election approached.
According to her, the House of Representatives, led by Aminu Tambuwal (now Sokoto State governor), and its Committee on Aviation, were out to get her.But the lawmakers’ move, she said, was part of a plan by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to capture power by all means.
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N47.5b for lawmakers’ cars wasteful, says TUC
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) said yesterday that the National Assembly’s plan to spend N47.5 billion on cars for 469 lawmakers was wasteful.
In a statement by its President, Bobboi Bala Kaigama and Secretary General Musa Lawal, the congress said spending N47.5 billion on cars was “senseless and peak of insensitivity”.
Expressing support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s stance on the issue, the TUC said it backed the President’s closed meeting with the lawmakers.
The statement reads: “We are pained by the fact that it appears the lawmakers do not know the task before them and the country.
“For over two months, the country has been experiencing chronic fuel scarcity such that has never been heard of, free-fall of the naira, poor health facilities, glorified primary schools as universities, closure of manufacturing companies, insecurity, which essentially is caused by unemployment etc. Our case has become so deplorable that we are a laughing stock among nations.
“Where is the conscience of the lawmakers? Where are the good roads to drive cars? Why is it that the privileged in this country do not consider the less-privileged? Lawmakers ride in public transportation in developed countries to attend to state matters. The reason our leaders do ridiculous things beats our imagination.”
The statement added: “It will be recalled that the National Assembly members in August collected between N7 million and N8 million as car loans. But they said the 469 cars they planned to buy would be used for oversight functions.
“This amount (47.5 billion) for cars is senseless and insensitive and we support President Buhari’s stance on the issue. We are definitely not against the President holding a closed meeting with the lawmakers, but we say no to such frivolous expenses.
“Some have argued that members go away with their official vehicles after four years, having paid the value to government coffers. But we wanted something different, hence Nigerians voted for change.
“It just does not make sense contemplating buying cars with almost 40 per cent of government’s annual budget. We just hope the lawmakers mean well for the country.”
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Nissan takes 14 cars to Tokyo auto show
Nissan is heading to the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon show with no less than 14 cars, all specially created to be showcased at the event.
Nissan is set to display quite an impressive number of modified models at the most important tuning event in Japan, with no less than 14 special cars being created for the show. At Nissan’s crowded stand, 13 customized versions of their production vehicles will be displayed, plus the Motul Autech GT-R racer that won the series championship in the 2015 SUPER GT GT500 class.
It is not an exclusively manly stand, as three of the models were created in collaboration with the French fashion designer Lolita Lempicka. The Micra/March, Versa/Note and Juke Lolita Lempicka Concepts feature a two-tone white and black exterior, with a possibility for these to be produced in a limited edition series.
The Nismo performance division will be represented by the X-Trail/Rogue SUV and Serena minivan featuring performance upgrades, along with the GT-R Nismo N Attack Package and Note Nismo S.
Other cars on show will include the Leaf EV with an Aero Style kit, Sentra S Touring (sold in Japan as the Sylphy), Dayz Bolero and Rider, and Elgrand Rider Black Line.
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Volkswagen to recall 8.5 million cars
Apparently frustrated with Volkswagen’s slow responses to diesel-gate, German officials are demanding a recall.
Starting in January, 8.5 million Volkswagen Group diesel-powered cars will be called back to dealers across Europe to receive fixes to their emissions systems that were fitted with emissions test-cheating software.
According to a Bloomberg report, the decision comes after the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) rejected the VW Group’s proposal for owners to bring their cars into dealers for repairs on a voluntary basis.
A VW spokesperson told Reuters that it was recalling 500,000 of those 8.5 million “voluntarily” — it had previously stated that eight million cars in Europe had the faulty software.
Surely, VW would have preferred to handle repairs as customers chose to have them fixed, rather than in a recall. That’s because, even in recall scenarios, customers are slow to respond to repair notices issues by dealers. So, on a voluntary basis, it’s likely that pace would have been even slower, with some VW diesel owners might not have returned for a fix at all. This would likely have saved VW lots of time and money.So the KBA appears to have decided to force the hand of the world’s largest carmaker.
The recall constitutes just shy of one-third of the carmaker’s total car sales between the affected 2009 to 2015 model years. Included in that recall are 2.4 million VW diesels in Germany alone. The recall — now the largest in German history — will surely be a huge undertaking and will affect a large swath of the car-owning population. Unlike in the U.S., where diesel cars represent a small fraction of car sales, diesel comprises around half of new car sales in Europe.
How Volkswagen will fix the affected cars in the now-demanded recall is unclear. The world’s largest carmaker has previously stated it would present a plan to fix the cars in October.
However, that plan has yet to have been announced. California recently demanded that VW must present to the state a plan of attack by November 20. What will happen if the carmaker misses that deadline remains unclear.
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Toyota plans 90 per cent CO2 cuts from cars
Toyota has revealed the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050—an initiative that is aiming for 90 per cent cuts in average vehicle CO2 emissions, and 100 per cent emission cuts from the company’s factories.
Along the way, Toyota is also planning to sell 30,000 fuel cell vehicles and seven million more hybrids by 2020. And the company is also arguing that electrified drivetrains will become a much bigger deal in the future too.
Much like the G7’s promise of eventual decarbonisation, these types of announcements will—simply by virtue of the message they send to markets—shift investment patterns and help make a low/zero emissions future happen.
Given that Volkswagen (ranked the world’s third largest automaker by volume) is responding to the diesel scandal by promising a major ramp up of plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles, and that the automotive establishment is being given a serious run for its money by zero emissions upstarts like Tesla (and, in the not-too-distant future, some obscure company called Apple), there is very good reason for the oil industry to be worried. And given that Toyota is by no means the only corporation aiming for 100 per cent renewable energy in its manufacturing operations, the coal giants are likely fretting too.
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Three varsities build cars for Shell Eco-marathon
Students of three universities have built cars they will use at the Shell Eco-marathon, Africa (SEMA) in South Africa between October 2 and 4.
The students, drawn from the University of Lagos (UNILAG), University of Benin (UNIBEN) and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, are being sponsored by Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) Joint Venture.
They are collectively known as Team Nigeria and will join 40 teams from four countries to test the energy efficiency of their cars at the Zwartkops Raceway, near Pretoria.
The competition, which will be hosted by the School of Electrical Engineering, University of Johannesburg, challenges students from all over the world to build and race energy-efficient cars, and rewards those that travel farthest with the least amount of fuel.
In 2014, the SPDC JV provided seed funding for the three universities and sponsored them to the European edition of the competition in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. They also participated in the maiden edition of Shell Eco-Marathon Africa which held in South Africa in 2014, where the UNIBEN team winning the Best Designed Car award. SPDC organised a test drive at the Campus Mini stadium in Lagos in March 2015 to test the readiness of the students.
Mr Osagie Okunbor, Managing Director SPDC and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, said the intervention is part of efforts to prepare students to solve problems for the society.
“The sponsorship of the students opens an exciting phase in our long-standing support for education in Nigeria. In addition to awarding scholarships, building schools and donating science equipment, we’re challenging the leaders of tomorrow to begin to think about, and act on the difficult energy choices facing a rapidly increasing world population,” he said.
General Manager, External Relations SPDC, Igo Weli, said he was confident of the students’ chances in the competition.
“The test drive was very successful and watched by cheering parents. The outcome of the event provided the assurance that the Nigerian students will pass the rigorous technical inspection before being allowed to race at Shell Eco-marathon in Europe or Africa. We’re pleased that our support has encouraged other universities to take part in this project designed to drive the efficient use of energy,” he said.
The initiative is one of many that SPDC Joint Venture has in the education sector.
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Suspected cultists set house, cars ablaze
•Stop fire fighters from containing outbreak
Suspected cultists yesterday burned down a building and two vehicles at Ogijo, Ikorodu, a Lagos suburb.
The arsonists were said to have attacked the properties belonging to the father of a leader in a rival cult group, located beside Omoleye hospital in Ogijo.
It was learnt that the groups have had several clashes in the neighbourhood, destroying properties and valuables.
The Nation gathered that the attacks forced residents to flee their homes for fear of being hurt by the cultists.
Before the hoodlums set the house ablaze, they damaged two vehicles parked in the compound.
They were said to have poured petrol on the building and lit it, keeping watch to ensure it was completely razed.
Fire fighters at Ikorodu, who got to the scene to quench the fire were obstructed by the cultists, who threatened to also set fire on them and their truck if they do not vacate the premises.
Confirming the development, the state fire service director, Rasaq Fadipe said the arson was reported at about 10:26am.
Fadipe said: “Someone ran to the station to report the outbreak and our men moved to the site to contain it. But some boys came around and halted them from quenching the fire. They threatened to burn the men and the truck if they don’t leave the site. I do not know why they set the building ablaze but I learnt it belonged to the father of a rival cult member.”
Fadipe also admitted that the fire service attended to a distress call at the Pan African University.
According to him, the call was received at about 3:40pm, adding that the inferno started at the school’s diesel tank that supplies its generator.
He said the fire destroyed the tank, the generator, as well as a PHCN cable.
While warning Lagos residents to be safety conscious especially as the dry season approaches, Fadipe said the agency attended to six other cases yesterday.
He said: “We attended to a fire call at 11 Ihuntayi Street in Lekki; there was also a fire outbreak which affected two buildings of eight rooms each at Muri Ojora Street, Amukoko.
“Then, a confectionery factory at 5 /6 Peter Olu Ajayi Street, Agbado was gutted by fire, but our quick intervention saved the day; a restaurant at Ijaiye, Ogba also caught fire, thankfully, we were able to contain the fire there so that it does not spread into other shops and a bank beside it.
“There was also a call of a drunk driver who was involved in a lone accident at Ebute Ero. By the time we got there, policemen were already at the scene and the man identified as Kasumu, claimed two of his passengers fell into the river.
“But a search was conducted and no one was found in the river. You can see that most of the cases were caused by carelessness. People have to be careful especially now that the dry season is near,” he said.