The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ilorin

  • Rugalities and insecurities in Nigeria

    Not too long ago, a Nigerian man in diaspora (somewhere in Europe) was trying to educate both the critical mass of our populace and selective demographics of our government workforce, about modern day methods of cattle rearing and domestication with a video of best practices and modules/models of international intelligence standards.

    Also, quite recently, TVC reported on Business Week a case study of best practices, empirically proven to be a successful domestication of cattle being practiced in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria by Rosedale Farm. According to this report, the Zimbabwean farm MD, Irvine Reid, explained the considerable success they have been able to make in cattle domestication and went on to say they were building a factory to produce dairy products.

    Having been furnished with all these internationally and locally practiced efficient modules/models, any cognitively active mind will be riddled with the following questions:

    1. Should Rugalities and the insecurities attached to it ever be a point of National discourse?
    2. Why can’t we adopt these credible modules/models and make life decent for us all through fostering unity and adopting reasonable lasting solutions to satisfy all parties of our heterogeneous national identity?
    3. Why are some people consciously clamouring and agitating for a detour from what seems to be a 21st century normality?
    4. Why are people just afraid to evolve?

    The free-range module/model of cattle rearing is probably good, only but at two lifetimes in our medieval past and not for the present clime and level of universal development. Summative, this model is susceptible to a lot of dangers including difficulty in containing epidemic (either from the host or nomadic demographics), communal clashes which often leads to loss of lives and properties, essentially negating the whole essence of live stocking. The precipitating effects of these clashes are the kidnappings, banditry, robberies, ethnic decimation and/ or even war. Invariably these actions tend to desecrate the socio-economic and moral fiber of our national psychology.

    As much as we do understand the right of free movement of Nigerian citizens but miles above that is the free gift and right to life, which the state swore to protect. Non indigenes shouldn’t infringe on the freedom of movements and rights of indigenous occupiers of a particular settlement in the name of “one Nigeria”.

    We are one Nigeria, only and when we accommodate yet respect our individualities and sacred sentiments. As much as the cattle are important to the herders, the crops are lifelines of the farmers, the cash crops are also economic sustenance for the business population and all these are empirically evident in the National GDP.

    As my dad will say… owo kin fun owo lorun (business is live and let’s live). Our demographic diversity is meant to be an instrument of showcasing our strength and collective resolve to co-exist peacefully, productively and functionally as one Nigeria (as in similar cases with Canada and India) and not a display of diversity mismanagement capabilities through utter ignorance or arrogance to universal standards of normality.

    Closely stifling the nation’s stability are other estuaries of the “diversity abuse” – which includes drug abuse, education and the ever-threatening demographic explosion. These issues are all connected and only genuinely inclusive governance with the nation’s unity (the people) at the center of it can rid us of the impending consequences.

    I am convinced that our policy making arms of government and policy prescribing arms of the society are not completely devoid of credible and true nationalists. That being said, I will implore these relevant arms to handle these issues within the extant of our constitution, taking a cue from world-class, evidence-based modern-day practices.

    • Ogunsanya is a retired officer of the United States Army

  • Court remands man, 70, for alleged N2.2m job scam

    A Senior Magistrates’ Court in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Wednesday ordered that a 70-year-old man, Ibrahim Akande, be remanded at Oke-kura Prison for alleged N2.2 million job scam.

    Akande, who lives at 57, Olaniya Compound, Ilorin, is charged with two counts of criminal conspiracy and advance fee fraud.

    Senior Magistrate Abdulrahman Dasuki who gave the order, adjourned the case till May 6, for further mention.

    Prosecuting Inspector Folorunsho Zacheous told the court that on April 4, the office of the Inspector-General of Police X-Squad, Ilorin, received a letter of complaint from a lawyer, Olatunbosun Moses, who represents I.D. Hammed & Co of 10B, Ammilegbe Road, Ilorin.

    Read Also: Court dissolves 9-year-old marriage over deceit

    He alleged that the defendant, who was a member of Powerful Prayer Bible Church, Unity Road, Ilorin, sometime in August 2017, conspired with Oyetunde Abayomi, now at large and defrauded some members of the church to the tune of N2.2 million.

    Zacheous alleged that the N2.2 million was paid into the defendant’s First Bank account by unsuspecting youths who were promised employment with the Federal Road Safety Corps in Abuja

    The prosecutor said the offence contravened Section 97 of the Penal Code Law and Section 3(1) of Advance Fee Fraud and other related offences, 2006.

    The accused person pleaded not guilty to the charge.

  • Kwara community to author: stop distorting our history

    Youth and elders have cautioned the writer of a book entitled “The Panoramic Survey of the History of Akumarun-Isanlu,” of Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State against distorting the culture, tradition and history of the community.

    Besides, the community added that all the impressions created in the book are a figment of the writer’s imagination.

    It warned the general public and would-be readers to take the information in the book with a pinch of salt.

    Speaking with reporters in Ilorin, the state capital, Elesa of Isanlu Esa Oba Ogunremi O. Theophilus agreed that five communities of Isanlu-Esa, Ohun, Okunran, Okoloke and Okara, all in Yagba West local government area historically make up what is today known as Akumaru-Un Isanlu.

    Oba Theophilus disagreed that the colonial masters made Okoloke the administrative head and Isanlu-Esa the traditional head of the communities.

    He said that “Isanlu-Esa community sternly warns the writer to stop bastardising our culture and heritage in future. If he wishes to write on any topic regarding Akumarun he should henceforth liaise with stakeholders to avert being accused of bias.”

    The writer of the book, Olarewaju Ajayi, is a staff of National Institute for Fresh Water Fisheries Research (NIFFR), New-Busa, Niger State.

    Read also: Kwara South elders back North for speakership

    According to Mr. Ajayi, the book is meant to give insight into the communities being referred to as Akumaru Isanlu, as well as to explain the meaning of Isanlu and the harmonious relationship among the various groups.

    Oba Theophilus accused the writer of not interviewing stakeholders, obas and chiefs in the communities except the Obalohun of Okoloke in coming up with the book.

    Said he: “The writer did not give other stakeholders and respected individuals in the communities the opportunity to give the historical background of clans, families and town to give their opinion; therefore, the panoramic survey as the book is titled is fake and could serve as hydra-headed monster of dichotomy within the Akumarun communities.”

    He said that the writer had forgotten the ethics and tradition in writing historical book for it to be regarded as valid, reliable and authentic by all stakeholders.

    In his foreword to the book, the Obalohun of Okoloke Oba James Ogunyanda agreed that the book has revealed “archival records of our past and to this, I will say all Akumarun communities both at home and abroad owe the author a debt of gratitude for a job well done.”

  • Motorcyclist kills passenger over N200 fare

    An Ilorin Magistrates’ Court on Friday remanded a commercial motorcyclist, Umar Kareya, in prison for allegedly killing passenger over N200 transport fare.

    The Magistrate, Mrs Jumoke Bello, who did not take the plea of the defendant due to lack of jurisdiction, ordered that he be remanded in Oke-kura Prison yard, Ilorin.

    She adjourned the case until April 17, for further mention.

    Read Also: Motorcyclist remanded for beating man to death

    Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Sgt. Roda Kayode, informed the court that the accused picked up his victim, a yet-to-be-identified man, on March 23, from Labe-Labe to Fumuni market via Bani in Baruteen Local Government Area of Kwara.

    Kayode said that on the way, a fight broke out over transport fare.

    In the process, she said, the defendant attacked the man with a cutlass, causing him serious injuries, which led to his untimely death.

    The defendant, she said, was apprehended at the scene of the crime following a tip-off.

    She prayed the court to remand the defendant, pending the completion of investigation.

  • Offa robbery: Court refuses post-mortem of dead suspect

    Kwara State High Court, Ilorin, yesterday refused the exhumation of the body of the principal suspect in the April 5, 2018 Offa robbery, Michael Adikwu, for post-mortem.

    But the court granted the prayer of the defence asking for an independent examination of the alleged gunshot injuries sustained by the first, second and third accused.

    The accused, Ayoade Akinnibosun (first accused person), Ibikunle Ogunleye (second accused person), Adeola Abraham (third accused person), Salaudeen Azeez (fourth accused person) and Niyi Ogundiran (fifth accused person) were in court.

    Ogundiran had told the court how the police extracted his confessional statement from him under duress.

    The first, second and third accused persons had at the last adjourned date accused the police of shooting them in the legs to instil fear in them before extracting statement from them.

    They alleged that the police shot dead Adikwu while in their custody, contrary to the police’s claim that he died of an ailment in hospital.

    As a result, defence counsel Mathias Emeribe said: “In view of the fact that the four accused persons have given their evidence, I hereby apply for an independent medical examination of the legs of the first, second and third accused persons to determine whether the wounds on their legs are caused by gunshots.

    “I also ask for an order to carry out autopsy on the death of Michael Adikwu, the principal suspect, to find corroboration to evidence of especially the fifth accused person as well as the other three persons.

    “The essence of this is not unconnected with the fact that Adikwu was initially one of the accused persons charged with others and it is important that one of their own was allegedly killed before them.

    The fact of the cause of the death must be determined in order to find out the truth as to how the confessional statements were obtained.

    Read also: Two feared injured as another building collapses

    “The name Michael Adikwu was repeated consistently by the four accused persons in this trial within trial and I think it will be in the interest of justice for the accused persons to put in a proper defence to get the result of that medical examination.”

    But prosecution counsel Prof Wahab Egbewole (SAN) opposed the application, describing it as strange.

    Said he: “I urge the court to refuse this strange application.

    Justice is not one-way traffic. It is available to all the parties and not only for the accused.

    “For the record, this is a trial within trial specifically to determine the voluntariness of the statements of the accused persons.

    “It is not for the court to look for evidence to corroborate his allegation. It is for him to do that.

    “This application is tantamount to inviting your lordship to come to the arena. The application is clearly shopping for evidence. The shooting of Adikwu has no relevance to the issue of a trial within trial.”

    Having listened to both parties, Justice Halima Salman took a shot break before delivering her ruling.

    In her ruling, Justice Salman said: “The court will avail the parties the facilities available in this case. It is, therefore, in the interest of justice and fair hearing to allow for a medical examination to know whether the healed wounds on the three suspects’ legs emanated from gunshots. I, therefore, grant the first prayer.

    “On the post-mortem examination of the body, there is nothing the autopsy will add to this case. It is baseless and pointless to grant the second prayer.”

    She ordered the registrar to prepare the “enrol order today to be served on the defence and prosecution.”

    Justice Salman adjourned the case till April 8 for continuation of defence in trial within trial.

     

  • Mother of four needs help after delivering triplets

    A mother of four Nafisat Akangbe has given birth to a set of triplets in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital. The triplets delivered through Caesarean section are all males and were born the first of this month at the Kwara State General Hospital, Ilorin.

    The newly arrived children are in good condition, feeding on breastmilk and baby food supplements.

    Mrs. Akande hawks fresh vegetables on the street, reportedly lost her husband, Mr. Yisau Akangbe, a former messenger at the state polytechnic, Ilorin, five months before the triplets arrived.

    Based on this predicament, she has called on the state government and governor-elect, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for assistance.

    She said assistance from the incoming governor and other well spirited Nigerians became imperative because she cannot leave the triplets at home to hawk, at least not for now.

    She has named one of the children after the incoming governor, Abdulrahman. The two others are Abdulsalam and Ismail, she said, adding that she identifies them with beads put on their wrists.

    Apart from vegetables, she said she also buys yams and pepper during their seasons from wholesalers and pays back after sales since there is no capital to trade in her own.

    It was gathered that the woman has been vegetables hawker around Aduralere, Sabo-Oke, Muritala areas of the metropolis with a unique promotional statement: ‘E ma da mi da. Mi o le je tan,’ meaning, ‘don’t leave me with it. I can’t eat it all alone.’

    Speaking with The Nation in her flood-prone residence at Aduralere community, Ilorin, the mother of triplets said this is the time that import of her promotional message had dawned on her and became a reality.

    “Please, I want a particular assistance from the new governor. I want him to help us with even just a two room apartment anywhere in Ilorin.

    Flood enters this our house at Aduralere where we live, whenever it rains. It was filled with water up to my chest during my pregnancy when it rained. We use all available containers to pour out water from rooms whenever it rains”, she said.

    Narrating her ordeal during delivery, she was full of praises and thankful to God for granting her safe delivery.

    She added that “I went to heaven and came back.”

    She said that a lot of money had been spent on her hospital bills at the General Hospital, Ilorin by her in-laws and her relations, among other individuals.

  • Offa robbery: Court refuses post-mortem examination of dead suspect

    Kwara state High Court sitting in Ilorin, the state capital Monday refused the exhumation of the corpse of the death principal suspect, Michael Adikwu in the April 5th, 2018 bloody Offa robbery incident, for post-mortem examination to determine the cause of his death.

    But the court granted the prayer of the defence asking for an independent examination of the alleged gunshot injuries sustained by the first, second and third accused persons in the case.

    The accused persons Ayoade Akinnibosun (1st accused person), Ibikunle Ogunleye (2nd accused person) and Adeola Abraham (3rd accused person), Salaudeen Azeez (4th accused person) and Niyi Ogundiran (5th accused person) were in court.

    Earlier, the 5th accused person (Niyi Ogundiran) narrated in the court how the police extracted his confessional statement from him under duress.

    The first, second and third accused persons had at the last adjourned date accused the police of shooting them on the legs to instill fear in them before extracting statement from them.

    They also alleged that the police shot death Michael Adikwu while in their custody contrary to what the police said that the man died of an ailment in a hospital.

    As a result, defence counsel Mathias Emeribe said that “in view of the fact that the four accused persons had given their stories, I hereby apply for an independent medical examination of the legs of the first,
    second and third accused persons to determine whether the wounds on their legs are products of gunshots.

    “I also ask for an order to carry out autopsy on the death of Michael Adikwu, the principal suspect so as to find corroboration to evidence of especially the 5th accused person as well as all the other three
    persons.

    “The essence of this is not unconnected with the fact that Adikwu was initially one of the accused persons charged along with others and it is important that one of their own was allegedly killed before them. The fact of the cause of the death must be determined in order to find out the truth as top how the confessional statements were obtained.

    “The name Michael Adikwu was repeated consistently by all the four accused persons in this trial within trial and I think it will be in the interest of justice for the accused persons to put in a proper
    defence to get the result of that medical examination.”
    But prosecution counsel Prof Wahab Egbewole (SAN) opposed the application vehemently, describing it as strange.

    Said Egbewole: “I urge the court to refuse this strange application; justice is not a one way traffic. It is available to all the parties and not only for the accused.

    “For the record, this is a trial within trial specifically to determine the voluntariness of the statements of the accused persons. It is not for the court to look for evidence to corroborate his allegation. It is for him to do that.

    “This application is tantamount to inviting your lordship to come to the arena. The application is clearly shopping for evidence. The shooting of Adikwu has no relevance to the issues of a trial within
    trial.”

    Having listened to both parties, presiding judge, Justice Halima Salman took a shot break of proceeding before delivering her ruling.

    In her ruling Justice Salman said “the court will avail all the parties all the facilities available in this case. It is therefore in the interest of justice and fair hearing to allow for a medical examination to know whether the healed wounds on the three suspects’ legs emanated from gunshots. I therefore grant the first prayer.

    “On the post-mortem examination of the corpse of the dead Michael Adikwu, there is nothing the autopsy will add to this case. It is baseless and pointless to grant the second prayer.”

    She ordered the court Registrar to prepare the “enroll order today to be served on both the defence and prosecution.”

    Justice Salman adjourned the case to April 8th for continuation of defence in trial within trial.

  • Police want me to implicate Saraki, says Offa robbery suspect

    One of the suspects in the April 5th, 2018 bloody bank robbery in Offa, Offa local government area of Kwara state, Ayoade Akinnibosun on Friday revealed the police asked him to implicate Senate President Bukola Saraki.

    Akinnibosun alongside two other suspects, Ibikunle Ogunleye (2nd accused person) and Adeola Abraham (3rd accused person) gave testimonies of how police extracted statements from them under duress at a Kwara state High Court, sitting in Ilorin.

    Other accused persons Salaudeen Azeez and Niyi Ogundiran were in court.

    The three accused persons also said that the principal suspect Michael Adikwu in the robbery incident was shot dead by one Inspector Vincent attached to the police Intelligence Response Team (IRT).

    The police high command had reportedly announced that Adikwu slumped in their custody and was rushed to the hospital before he finally died.

    READ ALSO: Absence of defence counsel stalls Offa robbery case

    IRT, which office in Abuja, is headed by Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari Akinnibosun, who is the first accused person, Ogunleye and Abraham in the Offa robbery incident were examined and cross-examined by their counsel Mathias Emeribe and Prosecution counsel Razaq Gold in a trial within trial on how they were tortured and threatened by the police to make confessional statements.

    Prosecution witness Inspector Hitila Hassan had on Thursday told the court that the suspects voluntarily gave their statements under his supervision.

    Lead Prosecuting Counsel Prof Wahab Egbewole sought to tender the statements as exhibit but defence counsel Mathias Emeribe objected.

    Mr. Emeribe argued that the statements were not voluntarily taken, noting they fell short of the provisions of the Evidence Act particularly sections 28 and 29.

    At Friday’s proceedings, Akinnibosun said: “Abba Kyari told me to mention the name of Senate President Bukola Saraki that he gave me the guns for the operations. But I declined to do contending that my life is at stake.

    “He promised that they would reward me handsomely and set me free if I can indict Senator Saraki.

    “When I disagreed they called some policemen to take me back to their cell. During this time my hands were tied to my legs in the back. Their children are in America and Europe you are allowing yourselves to be used as political thugs.”

    Akinnibosun added he was the leader of Kwara South Liberation

    Movement mobilising young jobless graduates for the Senator representing Kwara South district in the upper legislative chamber, Dr Rafiu Ibrahim.

    The essence is to secure government jobs for the boys, he said.

    Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibikunle Ogunleye and Adeola Ibrahim gave graphic details of their horrifying experience allegedly in the police custody in Abuja.

    During one of their encounters at the police IRT ‘theatre room,’ they said in their presence Inspector Vincent allegedly shot dead five Fulani men.

    ‘The theatre room,’ according to is the generator room of the IRT’s office and it also doubles as where suspects are extra-judicially executed.

    The trio added that it was in the same ‘theatre room that Inspector Vincent otherwise known as ‘Mr. Torture,’ allegedly shot dead Michael Adikwu for failing to indict them in the robbery incident.

    According to Ibikunle Ogunleye “they brought the late Adikwu to implicate us and he said he had not met any of us in his life that is why Mr. Torture shot him to death. “

    Presiding judge, Justice Halimat Salman adjourned the case to March 25th for continuation of trial within trial.

  • ‘APC broom has swept Kwara clean of hegemony politics’

    Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed says with the absolute victory of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Feb. 23 and March 9 general elections in Kwara, the party’s broom has swept the state clean of “hegemony politics”.

    The Minister who stated this at a post election news briefing on Monday in Ilorin added that the long battle for the emancipation of Kwara had been attained with the outcome of the polls.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the Kwara APC had a clean sweep of the Presidential poll, as well as elections into the three senatorial and six House of Representative seats held on Feb. 23.

    Also, the party defeated the incumbent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Governorship elections and won all the 24 seats in the Kwara State House of Assembly in the elections held on March 9.

    The major upset was the defeat of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki of the (PDP) in his stronghold, Kwara Central Senatorial zone by the APC candidate, Dr. Ibrahim Oloriegbe.

    Addressing the newsmen, the minister said that with the unprecedented victories, the people could confidently say that “the ‘Berlin Wall’ of Hegemony Politics in Kwara has finally fallen for good”.

    “It is a great victory for all the good people of Kwara and we give all gratitude to God for this victory.

    “It is beyond our power. Then, of course, we thank most sincerely the good people of Kwara.

    “To the long-suffering people of Kwara, this is your victory. You worked hard for it. You made incredible sacrifices, and your efforts paid off.

    READ ALSO: Lai Mohammed: February 23 to be Kwara ‘Day of Liberation’

    “You said ‘O To Ge’ (Enough is Enough) and it came to pass. Thank you to all the good people of Kwara.

    “Never again will anyone enslave you under the guise of dynasty or hegemony politics. Never Again!!!

    The minister thanked the security agencies that provided the conducive atmosphere for the people to exercise their franchise without fear.

    He also thanked the leadership of the party at both the state and national levels and expressed special gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for his unflinching support which propelled the party to victory.

    “Our victory here transcends Kwara State. It is a victory for all advocates of good governance everywhere. It is the triumph of good over evil, no matter how long it takes.

    “It will forever be a reference point in the political history of Nigeria, and a hard blow to those who willfully turn the public treasury into their personal piggy bank,” he said.

    The minister said that with the victories, the real work had just begun for the party because the expectations of the people were very high and they could not afford to disappoint them.

    “We must ride on the wave of their enthusiasm and determination to deliver to them the dividends of democracy, for which they have been yearning.

    “All our leaders, both elected and otherwise, must come together to channel the energy and vibrancy of our people to positive goals,” he said.

    Mohammed recalled that the long battle for the emancipation of the state started on Nov. 17 2018, when the
    party won the by-election for the Ekiti/Oke-ero/Irepodun/Isin federal constituency.

    He urged party members and supporters to be magnanimous in victory, shun vindictiveness or hatred while celebrating.

    “There is no room for violence of any kind. We are all Kwarans. The massive victory in Kwara State came on a
    peaceful note.

    “We must maintain that and banish all the vestiges of violence from our state.

    “It is a new day in Kwara State, and the sun is shining bright and beautiful once again! I thank you all for your kind attention,” he said. (NAN)

  • Excitement as Osinbajo walks in Ilorin

    It began as a small circle of party chiefs and some curious residents.

    In a few minutes, it became a sea of heads, which burst into songs and slogans. A carnival.

    That was Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s visit yesterday to Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

    The reception was tumultous. Residents and All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters were shouting the party’s battle-cry, O to gee (enough is enough)

    Prof. Osinbajo was drawing the curtain on his Next Level engagements for support for the party in tomorrow’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    Read also: Fed Govt, AGF ask Supreme Court to stay off Onnoghen’s case

    He was first received by the Information and Culture & Tourism Minister Lai Mohammed, Kwara APC governorship candidate AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and other party chieftains.

    Continuing his campaign for the re-election bid of President Muhammadu Buhari, Osinbajo stopped over at the palace of the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Kolapo Sulu-Gambari.

    The monarch personally received him in front of the palace amidst chants of ‘Osinbajo’, ‘Sai Baba’ and ‘O to ge’ (Kwara APC’s campaign slogan).

    At the palace, Prof Osinbajo listeded the major achievements of the Buhari administration and why APC is seeking re-election.

    The vice president proceeded to take long walks on the streets of Ilorin through Adabata, Isale Aluko and Alanamu ward, where he was greeted by huge crowds of residents who trooped out to welcome him.

    Prof. Osinbajo assured Kwara residents that more Federal Government impact will be felt over the next four years as the country goes to the Next Level. He said President Buhari’s government is committed to creating more jobs and improving the country’s economy.

    He also stated that more Nigerians will benefit from its Social Investment Programmes (SIPs) which has positively affected the lives of millions of Nigerians.