The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ekiti STATE

  • ‘How I sold old woman’s pants for N2000’

    The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested a man who reportedly stole Madam Modupe Adekoya’s pants.

    Efoghae Friday, 21, confessed to have stolen the underwear belonging to Madam Adekoya, who resides in a three-bedroom flat on 15, Olorunsogo Street, Basiri, Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    According to the police, Friday said some people ordered him to get a pair of pants for them with a promise to give him N2,000.

    The suspect said one of the two pairs of pants belonging to Madam Adekoya was stolen and delivered to the men.

    Speaking with The Nation, the old woman said: “I know Friday very well as he usually comes to assist me in doing some domestic chores at my home. To show appreciation to him, I used to give him meals. I never thought he could do this.

    Read Also: ‘Your pant or your life?’

    “I had washed my pants and put two of them out to dry at 3 a.m on June 10 at the corridor of my house. But when I went to remove it the next morning, I found out that one was missing; then I raised the alarm.

    “After series of investigations, a relative who suspected Friday, called him and urged him to confess. The relative promised not to be angry with him. He did eventually confess to stealing the underwear and that was when we invited the police to arrest him.

    “When he was arrested, he took the police to the house of three boys, claiming that one of them asked him to fetch the underwear and promised to give him N2,000,” she said.

    The suspects were transferred from Irewolede Police Station to the New Iyin Police Station on Bank Road, Ado-Ekiti.

    A relative of the old woman, who did not want his name in print, urged the police to prosecute the suspect and make him provide the pant stolen.

    He also urged the police to charge the suspects to court since they had admitted of have committed the crime.

  • Zenith Bank Next Gen Masters: Mohammed, Bamidele are champions

    Musa Mohammed from Abuja and Omolayo Bamidele from Ekiti State have emerged champions of the second edition of the Zenith Bank Next – Gen Masters which ended at the National Stadium Surulere Tennis Centre Saturday.

    Several hundred spectators sat out a four-hour rain delay in anticipation of an upset victory by the unseeded Emmanuel Jebutu who had upset the No.1 seed and tournament favourite, Philip Abayomi, 3-6, 6-4, 10-6 in the semifinals.

    However, Jebutu who was without a doubt the revelation of the tournament fell short as 19-year-old Musa, the second seed, came from a set behind to win 2-6, 6-4, 10-6.

    The Abuja-based Musa who  was given a wild card to play in the ITF World Tour events in Abuja in March was totally overwhelmed  by his younger but roundly talented opponent and had to fall back on his experience to play a more consistent and patient game to win.

    Bamidele had no such challenge in the girls’ finals as she swept away Favour Moses 6-0, 6-4 to win her first Masters title. The girls’ final was a huge anti-climax as the two semifinals the previous day had been outstanding nerve-racking performances.

    Bamidele recovered from 3-9 down in the 10-point match tiebreak to beat Jumai Mohammed 14-12 in the finals set saving nine match points along the way, while Mohammed failed to convert 11. In the other semifinal, Moses who held two match points at 9-7, saw herself face a match point at 9-10 but rallied to win 12-10.

    “It was a hugely entertaining tournament,” said Godwin Kienka, director of the International Tennis Academy, organisers of the Masters’ event. “Every player in the tournament, boys and girls, thoroughly justified their selection and we hope they will take over the seniors in no distant future. The ITA Junior Circuit with our partners is offering a bonus sum of N500, 000 to any 2019 Masters player who wins the CBN Senior singles event.” Kienka said.

    Mr Lanre Oladimeji, head retail banking of the sponsors, Zenith Bank, said he was highly impressed with the very high standard displayed by the players. “As a tennis player myself I can say with some confidence that if a very young talent like Jebutu is nurtured along with the others we shall have Nigerian players in the Grand Slams in a few years.

  • Fayemi promises to resume payment of stipend to elders, others

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has promised that his administration will soon resume payment of stipends to indigent elders and the physically-challenged.

    This, Fayemi said, would bring succour as well as accelerate the standard of living of Ekiti people and address the trend of poverty.

    He added that the beneficiaries would be drawn from the Single Register for the Poor and Vulnerable Households.

    The Single Register, the governor added, contains the list of all identified households living below globally accepted poverty line.

    Fayemi spoke at the inauguration of the engagement of the Third Batch of the Youth Employment and Social Support Operation (YESSO)/Public Workfare (PWF) Scheme in Ifaki-Ekiti.

    The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, restated the commitment of his administration to fighting poverty and giving economic empowerment to the people.

    He described the World Bank assisted scheme as laudable and a measure to combat poverty, “which does not respect partisan politics”.

    Read Also: Fayemi congratulates Lawan, Gbajabiamila

    A statement yesterday by the Special Assistant (Media) to the Deputy Governor, Odunayo Ogunmola, explained that 6,437 beneficiaries are participating in the programme holding at Ifaki Campus of the Ekiti State University (EKSU).

    Fayemi stressed that his administration has zero-tolerance for poverty, hence its desire to always engage the people of the state in meaningful activities that would keep the youth out of redundancy and restiveness.

    The governor, who advised the beneficiaries to judiciously utilise the stipends to be paid to them and make themselves reliant, also hailed the World Bank for the project and other interventions in the state.

    Director General of the Bureau of Labour, Employment and Productivity Mr. Lanre Ogunjobi said the state government will be committing N50 million monthly to the payment of stipends to beneficiaries.

    Ogunjobi, who said the gesture was aimed at checkmating poverty at the grassroots, also hailed the Fayemi administration for paying its counterpart funds to the World Bank despite the financial challenges facing the state.

    He noted that the programme, which started in 2013 during Fayemi’s first tenure, has helped reduce unemployment and boosted economy at the grassroots.

    Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Labour, Employment and Productivity Mr. Sesan Alabi said the welfare of the poor is a priority to the Fayemi administration.

    Alabi added that the social intervention programmes started by the governor during his first tenure are now being replicated at the federal level to empower the poor.

     

  • Methodist priest arrested for ‘faking own kidnap’

    The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested a Methodist Church priest, Rev. Peter Adegoke Adewuyi, for allegedly faking his own kidnap to collect ransom from church members and other individuals.

    The police also arrested Sunday Oluwadare Adewole, who was allegedly helping the priest to make calls to unsuspecting members of the public to demand ransom on the phantom abduction.

    A source at the command told our reporter yesterday that the two suspects will be charged to court as soon as the police conclude their investigations.

    The 31-year-old priest was said to have lodged in a hotel in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, and hid himself from public view from where he and his accomplice were making calls to the members of the public to pay ransom for his release.

    He claimed that his “captors” demanded N3 million “ransom” for his freedom.

    The development reportedly threw his church into confusion with members raising cash to pay the ransom for what turned out to be a fake kidnap saga.

    The phoney abduction stunt was busted by the police, which intercepted and arrested the holder of the phone with GSM number 09078589516 with which the N3 million ransom was being demanded from family members and church members.

    Read Also: Residents foil attempt to kidnap baby in Ekiti

    Unknown to the priest, he was being tracked to a location near First Bank in Okeyinmi area of Ado-Ekiti where he went to pick the ransom.

    During interrogation by the police, Adewuyi confessed to have masterminded his own “kidnap” and demanding for a N3 million ransom.

    The priest also confessed that he lodged at a hotel during the period of his self-enforced disappearance from the public.

    The two suspects are in detention at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) of the police headquarters in the state.

  • Herdsman beheads girlfriend in Ekiti

    There was panic on Wednesday at Ilasa Ekiti in Ekiti East Local Government Area of Ekiti State where a herdsman killed a lady said to be his girlfriend.

    The herdsman, whose name could not be established last night, reportedly chopped off the head of the lady with a machete.

    The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, has thrown the community into confusion and fear.

    The victim is said to be of the same tribe with the suspected assailant.

    She was reportedly attacked near a stream where she had gone to fetch water with her younger sister.

    The assailant was said to have ambushed the lady and brought down her head while she bent down to collect some water from the stream and took to his heels.

    But he was arrested through the information provided by the younger sister of the deceased who witnessed the scenario.

    Information by the residents, including the traditional ruler, the Alasa of Ilasa, Oba Ajayi Omolagba, revealed that the lady had been allegedly handed over to the suspected assailant as a future wife while she was still a teenager, in consonance with their custom and tradition.

    Read Also: Court remands herdsman over murder

    But trouble started last month when the suspect allegedly requested the lady to spend the Eid-el-Fitr with him.

    The failure of the family of the lady to release her before, during and after the celebration angered the suspect.

    He was said to have assumed that the contract had been breached by the family, hence the dastardly act.

    Another report said the lady, after growing up, noticed that the “husband” was a drunkard and drug addict, thereby avoiding him for necessary marriage arrangements.

    Some relatives of the deceased, who did not want their names mentioned, expressed sadness and shock over the incident.

    They said the suspected murderer made a request to spend the Eid-el-Fitr with his wife, adding that the lady was supposed to go to him the next day before he killed her.

    Addressing reporters, Oba Ajayi Omolagba condemned the incident, saying the community had been in shock since the incident occurred.

    The monarch said the families of the parties and their landlords had been summoned to a meeting where resolutions were reached on how to forestall future occurrence.

    He added that the community would also make necessary appeasement to God as such incident was strange and a taboo in the land.

    Police spokesman Caleb Ikechukwu said investigation had been launched to unravel the cause of the criminal act while more details would be made available to reporters.

     

  • Residents foil attempt to kidnap baby in Ekiti

    Residents of Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, on Tuesday foiled an attempt to kidnap a baby from his mother’s back.

    The incident occurred at 10 o’clock in the morning at the popular Fajuyi Roundabout near the entrance to the Government House.

    It was gathered that the suspect accosted the woman, who was carrying the baby, and struggled to take the child from her.

    The baby was injured in the arm and feet.

    A source, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent, said it took the intervention of some youths to rescue the woman.

    The source added that the suspect was displaying lunatic gestures immediately he was arrested.

    According to the source, the suspected abductor had collected the mobile phone of the woman, but it was retrieved from him.

    Read Also: Afuye emerges Ekiti Assembly Speaker

    “A mobile phone belonging to the suspect indicated that he had conversed with several people before the incident.

    “He was whisked away to the Area Command on Old Iyin Road in the state capital for investigation after severe beating by irate youths,” the source said.

    Police spokesman Caleb Ikechukwu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the preliminary investigation showed that the suspect is mental deranged.

    “The investigation is still ongoing so that we can ascertain his mental derangement from a certified medical point of view,” he added.

     

  • Four suspects paraded in Ekiti for alleged murder, robbery

    The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested four suspects for alleged murder and armed robbery.

    A 33-year-old man, Kazeem Babalola, was arrested for allegedly killing three persons in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    His victims, the police said, include a man identified simply as Soji, as well as two others, Adeola Adebayo and Tope Gana, at different locations last year and fled the town.

    Police Commissioner Asuquo Amba paraded the suspects on Monday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    The police chief said at 10 p.m on May 28, the suspect, who confessed to be a member of the Eiye Confraternity, was arrested in Ado-Ekiti by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, following a tip-off from some residents.

    He said: “The suspect was alleged to have been involved in the killing of Soji (M) at Orita Blessing Area, Okeila, Ado-Ekiti, sometime in December, last year, and Tope Gana at Atikankan Area, Ado-Ekiti in January, 2019.

    “The suspect is also alleged to belong to the group of armed men who shot at Adebayo Adeola at Yahooze barbing shop at Okeila, Ado-Ekiti in 2018.

    Read Also: Ekiti Monarch in court over alleged theft

    “On May 28, at about 7.30 p.m, based on the antecedent of the suspect, who was known by his victim, he attacked the complainant, stripped her naked and damaged her Itel handset in order to destroy evidence of his criminal antecedents.”

    Amba added that on May 2, his officers and men arrested Omotoyinbo Samuel, a suspected notorious armed robber, after being tracked to the home of Ajewole Peter at Ilesa, Osun State.

    He said: “On arrival of the command’s operatives on the scene, Ajewole Peter was arrested while Omotoyinbo Samuel escaped.

    “The arrested suspect led the operatives to Iyin-Ekiti where a locally-made single-barrelled gun, one of the guns they used for armed robbery, was recovered.

    “Investigation revealed that the suspects have committed series of armed robbery in Ekiti State and its environs. Investigation is still in progress.”

    Amba said the police also arrested Theddeaus Diala after he and his gang members trailed Fasanmi Gabriel from a popular bank in Ado-Ekiti, where he collected N2 million.

    The police chief said Fasanmi alerted the command, leading to the arrest of the suspect.

    “Upon investigation, the arrested suspect confessed that himself and two other members of the group, namely: Eze Ikechukwu and Okechukwu (second name unknown and currently on the run) wanted to rob Fasanmi Gabriel.

    “Investigation was intensified and another member of the gang, Eze Ikechukwu, was arrested. Both confessed that they had robbed about 10 places within Ado-Ekiti and so many places in Akure, the Ondo State capital, and Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

    “Among their victims in Ado-Ekiti are Fasanmi Gabriel and Esan Abiodun,” he said.

    Amba said exhibits recovered from the suspects include one master key, which they used to force open vehicles of their victims, and one Toyota Camry car with registration number RRT 09NZ, suspected to have been stolen.

    He said the suspects further confessed that they were robbing in Ghana before they returned to Nigeria and that their group had nine men who are currently on the run.

    The police chief added that the suspects will be charged to court after the conclusion of investigations.

  • Ekiti Assembly orders suspended council chairmen to refund N3.6b

    The Ekiti State House of Assembly has ordered the 16 suspended local government chairmen to refund N3.6 billion allegedly looted from the state treasury.

    The lawmakers, at their sitting yesterday, said the order was predicated on the report of a panel, which indicted the council chairmen of mismanaging the cash.

    The order was made at the valedictory session of the Fifth Assembly. The Sixth Assembly will be inaugurated by Governor Kayode Fayemi on Thursday.

    The Assembly, in a resolution, ordered the suspended chairmen to refund the N3.6 billion into the coffers of the state government and also recommended appropriate sanctions against them.

    The resolution was parts of recommendations by the House Committee on Public Account in its report on the local government chairmen, which was adopted by the House.

    The report of the panel, which was presented by the member representing Ikere Constituency 2, Mr. Sunday Akinniyi, indicted the suspended LG bosses of contract fraud, abuse of office and lack of accountability.

    The former Speaker, Mr. Kola Oluwawole, representing Moba Constituency 1, pleaded for leniency on behalf of the suspended chairmen, but his plea was turned down by the majority of his colleagues.

    Oluwawole, like the suspended council chairmen, are members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    The PDP members opposed the recommendation for the sanction, claiming that the screening was full of irregularities.

    They were, however, overruled by the Speaker, Mr. Adeniran Alagbada, who claimed that the chairmen went too far in their actions.

    Read Also: ‘Ekiti State needs deliverance’

    Alagbada cited example of his council area, Ise/Orun, where over N300 million naira was set aside for the building of secretariat, but the contract was not executed.

    Meanwhile, Chairmen and members of three commissions nominated by Governor Kayode Fayemi were screened and confirmed by the House.

    The commissions are: House of Assembly Service Commission, Civil Service Commission and State Independent Electoral Commission.

    All members of the House of Assembly commission headed by Chief Taiwo Olatubosun were only asked to take a bow and leave having served at one point or the other as members of the House.

    The Assembly ratified Justice Jide Aladejana as the chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commission and former Head of Service, Mr. Bunmi Famosaya, as the chairman of the Civil Service Commission.

    Other members of the commissions also sailed through, “having proven their high level of integrity and diligence to the House”.

  • Fayemi to inaugurate Ekiti 6th Assembly on June 6

    Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State will, on Thursday, June 6, inaugurate the state’s sixth Assembly in Ado-Ekiti.

    The Clerk of the House, Mr. Tola Esan, confirmed  on Saturday in Ado Ekiti that Fayemi had issued a proclamation to that effect.

    Read Also: Ekiti APC elders congratulate Fayemi

    The event is scheduled for the main chamber of the Assembly at 10 a. m.

    Esan urged members of the State Executive Council, religious and traditional rulers as well as the general public to be part of the occasion.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) won all the 26 seats in the assembly.

     

  • Supreme Court verdict victory for all Ekiti people, says Egbeyemi

    Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, has described last Friday’s Supreme Court verdict which validated Governor Kayode Fayemi’s election as “victory for all Ekiti people.”

    Egbeyemi said the judicial affirmation and the emergence of Fayemi as the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Chairman is an opportunity to attract more federal presence to Ekiti.

    He called on the people in the state, especially politicians across political parties, to join hands with Fayemi in taking the state to an enviable height.

    In a statement on Sunday by his Special Assistant (Media), Odunayo Ogunmola, Egbeyemi urged politicians still aggrieved with Fayemi’s victory to sheathe their swords saying “politics of bitterness would not take the state to enviable position.”

    The Deputy Governor said Fayemi was ready to welcome ideas that could make the state attain a pride of place in the comity of states in Nigeria.

    The Supreme Court victory, according to him, would afford the APC-led administration in Ekiti an opportunity sustain its priority to workers welfare, delivering dividend of democracy to mass as well as security of lives and property.

    Egbeyemi restated the resolve of the state government to bring about meaningful change in terms of infrastructure, rural development and employment opportunities.

    Read Also: Ekiti: Supreme Court upholds Fayemi’s election

    Speaking on the NGF election, Egbeyemi said Fayemi use his wealth of experience to integrate the forum and to foster unity among the various ethnic nationalities as represented by the 36 states.

    Egbeyemi said Fayemi had what it takes to turn around the fortune of the state by using his wealth of experience to attract investors and meaningful economy.

    He said: “The Governor will facilitate the extension of railway lines to the state and this will improve sales of our agric products.

    “Even the cargo airport will soon be sited here and this will boost economic activities and these facilities will open Ekiti to windows of opportunities.”

    The Deputy Governor also hailed the support of the wife of the Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi for meaningful contribution to governance in terms of empowerment to women, students and vulnerable children.

    The Deputy Governor observed that the good works had earned the Ekiti First Lady several laurels in Nigeria and Africa.

    Egbeyemi expressed the belief that many more programmes of that would be beneficial to the state, especially woman were still on the way.

    Also, the Ekiti State chapter of the Yoruba socio-cultural and political organization Afenifere Renewal Group, ARG said Fayemi’s victory at the Supreme Court was a true reflection and affirmation of his electoral mandate freely given by the Ekiti people.

    The group, according to a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Prince Michael Ogungbemi, the victory will spur Fayemi to deliver more superlative services derivable from democratic governance.

    “We are impressed with the excellent developmental strides of Fayemi-led administration.

    “With this victory Ekiti people is set to enjoy more of infrastructural, rural development and people-oriented programmes capable of accelerating standard of living of the people”, it said.