The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ibeju Lekki

  • Controversy over arrest of Ibeju-Lekki youths

    Who ordered the arrest of six persons from the Oko-Olomi and Otunla villages in Ibeju-Lekki,  Lagos? Does their arrest have  to do with land disputes; robbery charges or an attempt on the life of a monarch, Oba Tajudeen Elomoro.

    These are the knotty issues the police must resolve for peace to reign in the area.

    The communities, Oko-Olomi and Otunla villages, are alleging that the traditional ruler of Iwerekun Elemoro land, Oba Tajudeen Elemoro instigated the arrest and detention of six indigenes of both villages for alleged robbery.

    But Oba Elemoro has debunked the  communities’ claims that he has been using policemen and thugs to harass their indigenes.

    Those arrested and charged to court by the police include Kufuli Batunde, Segun Eleku, Akorede Eleku, Lawal Dada, Luqman Adeniyi and Tajudeen Eleku. Speaking through their lawyers, Messrs Bamidele Ogundele and Michael Bayowa at a press conference in Lagos last week, the Oko-Olomi and Otunla villages claimed that the youths were arrested on December 23, 2014 within the premises of the Ikeja High Court.

    The lawyers claimed that the arrest was to frustrate the communities’ pending cases against the monarch before Justices Kazeem  Alogba and Oluwatoyin Ipaye, both of the Ikeja High Court.  The lawyers said those arrested  were arraigned last December 24,before Magistrate Abimbola Komolafe of an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court and were granted bail. But  in a statement by his lawyer, Mr Taofik Elias, Oba Elemoro said the allegation against his client was baseless because the persons arrested were involved in the November 24,2014 attack on the Elemoro Palace.

    According to Elias, the suspects were allegedly attempting to gain entrance into the monarch’s house but were thwarted by arrival of policemen from the nearby Elemoro Police Station.

    He claimed that after the incident, the monarch was taken to the General Hospital, Epe for treatment for shock and insomnia.

    “The police were invited and the Oba told them that he can identify the attackers and that they were from Oko-Olomi and Otunla villages.

    “Furthermore the suspects were arrested outside the gate of the Ikeja High Court. There was no arrest made within the premises of the court,” Elias said.

    According to him, after their arraignment on December 24, 2014, they were unable to perfect their bail conditions and were taken to prison.

    The lawyer said he was reliably informed that the police were planning to withdraw the charge against the suspects.

    Elias said he had therefore petitioned the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, M.  Ade Ipaye, to take over their prosecution.

    “This case is not about the civil suits because the judges have already asked parties to maintain the status quo with regards to the issues before the court. This case is about an attempt on the life of the monarch and we want to pursue it to ensure that justice is done.”

     

  • Ibeju-Lekki LGA appeals for more schools, teachers

    Ibeju-Lekki LGA appeals for more schools, teachers

    The Chairman, Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area (LGA) in Lagos State, Olorunkemi Semiu Surakat have appealed to the state government to look into the issue of inadequate number of teachers in the schools in their area.

    He made the appeal during the inauguration of Prince Bayo Balogun Teachers House in the area.

    He praised the new 1,000-capacity hall. He said aside shortage in number of teachers, there was the need for more schools to be built  in the fast-developing area.

    “When you look at the number of teachers we have in our LGA, they are not enough. Also, the numbers of available schools are unable to serve our children very well as it subject them to stress.

    Ibeju-Lekki being the one quarter of Lagos State in size and the schools is widely dispatched within the LGA which is about 20 kilometres in distance to one another . So it is not that we don’t have schools to go but our children have to trek hours before they get to schools.

    “In our effort toward supporting existing teachers, we have employed 150 contract teachers that are posted to various schools within the local government. It is not that there is no teacher within the LGA but they are not enough. Let’s say we have about 500 teachers in the LGA but the average number needed is about 800, that simply means we are experiencing a short fall of about 300.

    “The local government thinks of what can be done to move close to the standard, this is what made us to employ 150 teachers on contract basis. So, we are still having a shortage of about 150 teachers that will assist us in shaping the future of our children,” he said.

    Presenting the keys of Prince Bayo Balogun Teachers House to the National President of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Olukoya Alogba, the donor Prince Bayo Balogun described the development as part of the existing relationship he has with the teachers in the council.

    Balogun, who is the Commissioner Lagos State House of Assembly Service Commission and immediate past local government Chairman of Ibeju-Lekki, said the hall was meant to benefit the community and encourage teachers by way of serving as a source of revenue.

    Reacting to the issue of shortage of schools within the LGA, Balogun attributed the development to large portion of land inhabitants enjoyed.He said government plans to wade into the matter.

  • Foundation Club1 ends Ibeju Lekki’s unbeaten run

    Ibeju Lekki Cricket Club 1 crumbled to a 60-run defeat to hard fighting Foundation Cricket Club 1 who once again proved a tough nut to crack for Champions at the Iris Smart Technology Club Cricket Committee League.
    Seye Olympio, one of Nigeria’s most reliable bowlers took two wickets for 26 runs, three maiden in eight overs.
    Insipid batting from Dolapo Gafar who was Nigeria’s former wicket-keeper and opener was the high point of the first innings as he notched up 71 runs while the other supporting cast of Captain Kunle Adegbola 40 and Tope Olayinka 36 not out as the former champions were restricted to 174-6 in 40 overs after the quartet of Rotimi Adesanya, Kwesi Sagoe, Peter Ananya and Femi Oduyebo all together scored eight runs.
    Second innings was more dramatic as the likes of Ademola Onikoyi, Endurance Ofem, Femi Solebo, Bejide Jide , Leke Oyede and Joshua Ayannaike who were big hitters fail to show up on a day Ghanian import Godffrey Bakiweyem decided to rip through the batting line-up to claim four wickets, thirty-two runs in eight overs for the unbeaten side to end on 114 runs all out.
    Much as the sticks came down hard on ILCC 1 batsmen the duo of Seye Olympio 30 and James Chukwu 26 came alive with their bats as the table toppers suffered their first loss of the 2013/2014 cricket season.
    Meanwhile, Foundation Cricket Club 2 defeated Lagos Asian Cricket Club by two wickets in a division 1 encounter to remain last on the league table.
    LACC batted first to reach 196 runs for loss of 9 wickets in 50 overs with Jay Ghosalker top scoring for the Asians with 41 runs, while Sheikh made 32 and Sankrunti 22. Oris Oruye and Sunday Adeleye made life unbearable for the batsmen as they got three wickets apiece.
    Despite efforts from Sharma and Sheikh, who had three and two wickets respectively, it did not deter FCC 2 from reaching their target with two wickets left but that victory would be attributed to Dimeji Oladunjoye who posted 50 runs not out with support coming from Damola Sarumi 35, Captain Sukanmi Odedele 28 and Ologbosere who added 26 runs as the newly promoted side achieved 200-8 in 49.1 overs.