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Tag: Lagos State

  • Man, 30, in court over alleged theft of government bicycle

    A 30-year-old man, Kayode Oduola, on Tuesday appeared before a Badagry Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos over alleged theft of a bicycle belonging to the state Neighbourhood Safety Corp.

    Oduola, who has no fixed address, was arraigned on a two-count charge of stealing and breach of the peace.

    He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The Prosecutor, ASP Akpan Ikem, told the court that the accused stole the bicycle worth N50,000 on Nov. 5, at 4:00p.m. at No. 5, Fashola Close, Ile-Oba, Ijanikin, Lagos.

    Read Also: Akiolu to Sanwo-Olu: beware of sycophants

    “Also, Oduola stole one bag valued at N4,000, a pair of shoes valued at N6,000, two pairs of jean trousers valued at N9,000, a wallet valued at N1,500, one pair of shorts valued at N1,000 and N10,000.

    “They belong to Mr Teslim Solomon,’’ he said.

    The offences contravene the provisions of Sections 404 and 285 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011, according to the prosecutor.

    Chief Magistrate Lazarus Hotepo admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N100, 000 and two sureties in like sum.

    He adjourned the case until Dec.17, for further hearing.

  • 2019: Edgal warns officers, men

    The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Mr Imohimin Edgal, on Monday warned officers and men of the Command that none of them must be found wanting during the 2019 general elections.

    Edgal spoke during a capacity building workshop for senior police officers in Lagos, in preparation for the general elections.

    He charged the officers and men to be neutral and professional during the elections.

    The police commissioner said that all the Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers must take the knowledge gained from the train the trainers workshop to their men, warning that no issue should be taken for granted.

    “It is my desire for my men to always improve on service delivery, and you can only give what you have.

    “I am always ready to partner with any group willing to train my men, particularly as elections time is on.

    “The officers and men must do the right things at the right time; during the elections, you must give a level planning ground to all stakeholders.

    “No police officer in Lagos State should be found wanting during the elections,” Edgal said.

    The police commissioner advised his men to watch and listen to electoral officers posted to different units during elections.

    “On election days, it is the presiding officer that determines what constitutes electoral offences.

    Read Also: Edgal to cultists: leave Lagos

    “The presiding officer is the boss at the polling unit.

    “ The police must take directive from such officer on whom to arrest if any electoral offences has been committed.

    “Police should not take directive from members of the public while providing security on election days,” he said.

    The organiser of the workshop, Mrs Titilayo Ogunbambi, of the Boundless Hands Africa Initiative, said they decided to partner Nigeria Police Programme for the workshop to prevent violence during elections.

    Ogunbambi said that such training would help to mitigate electoral violence, as the officers would be equipped before the election days.

    One of the facilitators, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr Patrick Atayero, spoke on strategies for mitigating electoral violence.

    He pointed out areas the police should pay attention to during elections.

    Atayero said that the major challenges in elections were electoral violence and fraud.

    He said that violence-free elections were crucial to free and fair conduct of polls.

    All the Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, unit officers and squadron leaders participated in the workshop.

    NAN

  • 2019 National Sports Festival: Ambode receives torch of unity

    says Lagos will send powerful delegation

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Monday at the Lagos House, Alaska, Ikeja received the Torch of Unity to herald the forthcoming 19th National Sports Festival coming up in Abuja next month.

    Speaking at the ceremony, the governor said sports remains a veritable tool to engender the unity and cohesion the nation actually needs, adding that he was glad that the Festival after the last edition hosted by Lagos in 2012 was staging a grand comeback.

    He assured that the state would send a strong contingent of athletes and coaches to the Festival, assuring that representatives of the State would be given all the adequate welfare to excel at the games.

    “It is my pleasure to receive the festival torch of unity and this signals the commencement of the 19th National Sports Festival that would take place in Abuja. The last National Sports festival was held here in Lagos six years ago and being the last host, this is the last point of call before the torch goes back to Abuja.

    “We have a very strong contingent that we are sending to the festival because we believe strongly that sports is a veritable tool that we can use to command the unity and the cohesion that this nation actually needs at this time.

    “I believe strongly that we are not just supporting alone, we believe that all the laurels and winning positions would be taken by Lagos State. On behalf of all our sports men and women, I want to encourage them and assure that we would make their entire stay in Abuja comfortable,” the Governor said.

    Ambode also seized the occasion to encourage politicians to embrace the spirit of sportsmanship in the coming general elections, saying that beyond winning at the polls, the real essence of the exercise is to create a stronger bond and cohesion among Nigerians.

    He said like sports where winners and losers would emerge after every competition, those vying for several positions in next year’s election should embrace such mindset.   

    According to him, “Just like any other competition, we are in a period of campaign and election that is coming, it is competitive, but this is unlike national sports were everybody comes with the spirit of unity and we believe strongly that our politicians should emulate our sports men and women, were we should be able to come with the spirit of sportsmanship, there would be winners and losers but in participating, we are creating that bond and cohesion amongst ourselves.”

    Read Also: Lagos committed to industrial growth — Ambode

    Also speaking Chairman, Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr. Kweku Tandor said Lagos State would be represented at the Festival by 442 male and female athletes, 81 coaches and 50 other officials including welfare and medicals.

    He said the contingent from Lagos would be made up of athletes that have been training and taking part in State organised competitions over the years, adding that it would be profitable on the long run rather than looking for foreign based professionals.

    “One of the things that we have refused to do in Lagos is to go all over the world and start looking for athletes to represent us because for us we see the festival not just as a competition, but we see it as a developmental tool and it’s for us, a measure of the work that we have been doing over the years in developing our athletes,” he said.  

    Earlier, South West Zonal Coordinator, National Sports Festival, Mr. Olufemi Ajao who presented the Torch of Unity to the Governor, thanked him for according them hospitality, saying that he was hopeful that the State would host the festival again soon.  

    “The torch has been going round the country, it has been to the 36 States and Abuja. Lagos being the host of the last Sports Festival, the torch has to leave Lagos for Abuja straight away.

    “You can remember that after Lagos State hosted, it has been about six years now that we have been postponing it. But with this torch now, it shows that the festival has come to stay, there is no more postponement. I will plead with the Governor if Lagos can host the festival again so that we can come and enjoy the hospitality and the rich culture of Lagos State,” he said.

  • LASG presents cheques to over 2,000 beneficiaries of LSETF

    Over 2,000 Lagosians on Monday benefited from the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), as they were presented with cheques ranging from N200,000 to over N500,000 by the State government as loans to start their businesses.
    With Monday’s disbursement of the loans, the state government through LSETF,  according to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has now disbursed over N7 billion in loans while the total beneficiaries have also increased to over 10,000.
    Ambode made the disclosure in his speech at the presentation ceremony which took place at the LTV Blue Roof, Agidingbi, Ikeja.
    He also disclosed that women have benefited substantially from the LSETF programmes.
    According to the governor “Our commitment to women is evident in the number of women who are beneficiaries of the programmes of this Fund. Before today we had a total of 3,652 female loan beneficiaries to the 4,280 male loan beneficiaries. 
    “Under our Lagos Employability Support Programme, women represent 49% of the total number of young people that LSETF has trained while in our Lagos Innovates programme which supports a tech ecosystem dominated by men, 21% of the beneficiaries are women
    beneficiaries.
    “In line with our promise of inclusive governance, almost half of these loans were given to women; while the beneficiaries range from the youth to our senior citizens in active business. In spite of this, the Fund has assured me of their work to increase the level of female participation across all programmes, especially within Lagos Innovates.
     
    “In addition, the Fund has ensured that all 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 37 Local Community Development Areas (LCDAs) have felt its impact”.
    The LSETF programmes, he said, has created over 25,000 new direct jobs created directly by these businesses in the state and that the multiplier effect of those businesses on the Lagos economy and the indirect jobs created is enormous.
    “Apart from the jobs being created, I am especially pleased to see testimonials from some of our beneficiaries. I watched the video of Ibrahim Shuaib; a final year student of Dentistry at the Lagos State University Medical School. With a loan of N250,000, Ibrahim has not only grown his dry-cleaning business, employing over 20 people, but also started another business which his sister runs.
    “I also read about Femi Oyedipe, whose chocolate production business, Loshes Chocolate, can now produce ten times more than before, employing more Lagosians as staff. Apart from employing more people, Loshes Chocolate makes it products from cocoa beans sourced from Ondo State, creating value for farmers outside Lagos. This is a very good example of the inter-state economic partnership Nigeria needs to grow its economy.
    “Another LSETF programme that we are very proud of is the Lagos Employability Support Programme, under which we have trained 3,363 unemployed youth and over 1,100 of them are now either employed or running their own businesses”.
    “You will all agree with me that the future is tech and our Employment Trust Fund is poised to make Lagos the leading destination for Africa’s most exciting talent and start-ups. Under the Lagos Innovates Programme, 75 start-ups have been awarded work space vouchers which provides their businesses with access to excellent infrastructure and a community where they can incubate and pursue their dream of becoming Africa’s emerging unicorns; without bearing the associated cost. We have also awarded a loan to one of the leading hubs, to expand and incubate more technology start-ups in the Lagos environs.
    Ambode congratulated  beneficiaries charging them to grow their businesses, “create jobs for the unemployed, contribute to the growth of the Lagos GDP, and most importantly, repay your loans.” 

    Read Also: 6,462 benefit from N5.22bn LSETF loans

    “Our expectation of today’s beneficiaries is to emulate the over 1,500 beneficiaries who have successfully repaid their loans. It is because of beneficiaries like them that we continue to revolve the capital being used for LSETF’s various programmes. It is our belief that many years from now, the foundation we have built today will produce notable businesses that Lagos State can be proud of.”
    The governor said the government has a vision through the State Employment Trust Fund to grow the Lagos economy by supporting entrepreneurship, which in turn will create jobs for the unemployed residents.
    Ambode thanked the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) for supporting the initiative expressing confidence that their target to train 10,000 young people is achievable.
    He also commended the Chairman, Executive Secretary, Board and Staff of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund for translating “our dream to reality and bringing it to Lagosians.
    “I also thank the Honourable Commissioner, the Permanent Secretary and all staff of the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment. The Employment Trust Fund thrives today because of their total commitment to the prospect of empowering Lagos residents with employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.
    “Finally, I thank the Lagos State House of Assembly, especially the House Committee on Wealth Creation and Employment, who have been relentless in their support for this initiative.  Their oversight and ideas have greatly enhanced the outcomes we are seeing today.”
    Adding that “I look forward to hearing more success stories from beneficiaries of the programmes of our Employment Trust Fund. The Lagos State Government will continue to support this programme and we welcome more institutional partners and collaborators. We have only just laid the foundation; there is still a lot more to be done but I am confident that this story will only get better.”
    Assuring that the APC governorship candidate in the forthcoming election, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has promised to continue with the projects when he takes over as governor.

  • RRS arrests ‘attackers’ of Guardian Newspapers’ boss

    Operatives of the Lagos State Rapid Response Squad (RRS) on Wednesday evening arrested three suspected traffic robbers who held motorists to ransom at Oshodi inward Anthony.

    The suspects, Samson Oyelayo, 22; Tunde Segun, 20 and Ayo Omoniyi, 24, the police said were those who attacked Editor-in-Chief of the Guardian Newspaper Debo Adeshina.

    The suspects allegedly dispossessed of his mobile phone and wallet containing his ID card, 4 ATM cards and various complementary cards which the police recovered from them.

    It was gathered hoodlums had gone on rampage around 5pm on Wednesday, breaking motorists’ windscreens and looting their valuables.

    They were said to have been arrested while fleeing the scene of robbery following security reinforcement in the area prompted by distress calls to the police.

    Read Also: RRS arrests killers of Taxify driver

    According to the suspects, hoodlums distract their target in traffic to pave way for other gang members to fleece them.

    In his confessional statement, Oyetayo said he pleaded with Adeshina for alms and he rolled down his window and have him N2, 000.

    He said: “I begged him to assist me with money for food, the man rolled down and gave my friend and I N2000. Meanwhile, this was in traffic facing Gbagada.

    “Unknown to me, some of my friends, had opened his vehicle door from the passenger side, stole his mobile phone and escaped.

    “RRS riders saw them and that was how they arrested Tunde, Segun and I. The phone was immediately recovered from Segun.”

  • Lagos committed to industrial growth — Ambode

    Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has pledged to continue formulating and implementing policies and programmes that would consolidate the state’s position as the industrial and commercial hub of Nigeria.

    Ambode said this on Tuesday in Lagos during the 2018 Africa Industrialisation Day, themed: “Promoting regional value chains in Africa: A pathway for accelerating Africa’s structural transformation, industrialisation and Pharmaceutical Production.”

    He was represented by Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, the State Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives.

    Africa Industrialisation Day was proclaimed by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in 1989.

    Ambode said that the various projects in the areas of security, environment, infrastructural renewal and upgrade were designed to create an enabling environment that would promote industrialisation and sustain the state’s status as prime investment destination in Africa.

    He noted that government’s task was to demonstrate serious commitment to private sector participation through implementation of policies, programmes and best practices that encourage the productive sectors of the economy, including the pharmaceutical industry.

    Read Also: Lagos Assembly tasks Ambode on menace of drug abuse 

    The governor acknowledged that the private sector were key stakeholders and prime mover of the economy, and would continue to maintain its open door policy aimed at harnessing productive potentials using private sector as vehicle of economic growth.

    According to him, doing that will enable his administration fulfill its objective of creating employment, eradicating poverty and promoting sustainable economic development.

    He noted that government was not oblivious of challenges confronting entrepreneurs, saying that it would continue to engage members of the private sector to develop appropriate and sustainable solutions.

    Dr Salaudeen Jubril, Faculty Member, Lagos Business School (LBS), said promoting regional value chains would accelerate regional, international trade and investment flows, increase competitiveness and facilitate industrialisation of many economies.

    He said that Africa required more development financing, harnessing the potential of its youth population, infrastructural development and stable political environment to deepen industrialisation.

    Dr John Isemede, a trade expert, said that weak industrialisation was responsible for the continued decline in the value of the naira.

    Mr Muda Yusuf, Director-General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), said resolving impediments to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises would facilitate and deepen value chain development and Africa’s economic integration.

    He urged government to address issues of taxation, power deficit, bad road networks, inefficiencies at the ports and low interest fund for businesses to thrive.

    NAN

  • Apapa gridlock may linger for a while – FRSC

    Mr Hyginus Omeje, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Sector Commander in Lagos State has said that the traffic gridlock around Apapa Port may linger for a while.

    Omege disclosed this on Saturday while accessing the challenges facing the corps in managing the perennial traffic situation in the area.

    He said that his men were handicapped to enforce traffic regulations that could lead to arrest and prosecution of truck drivers.

    He said most of the trucks and tankers were owned by some powerful Nigerians who often used security operatives to escort the vehicles to loading points through a one-way traffic.

    “My officers often try to enforce arrest and subsequent prosecution, but the culprits mostly go free after one influential person calls from Abuja, demanding for the release of the impounded vehicles.

    “This is a daily occurrence that has been impeding the operations of the FRSC in tackling the wharf access road crisis.

    “How do you expect the gridlock to disappear when one cannot enforce traffic regulations and some people who feel that their vehicles cannot be on the queue transgress the law with impunity,” Omeje said.

    According to him, the government needs a strong political will to check the excesses of truck drivers.

    Read Also: FRSC tasks petrol tanker drivers on safety regulations

    He said that every truck or tanker on the road had one powerful Nigerian behind it.

    “If regulations and prosecution were to be implemented, the crisis will not have gotten to this life-threatening state where drivers and motor boys die while waiting to load or drop off containers at the port,’’ he said.

    NAN

  • FRSC tasks petrol tanker drivers on safety regulations

    The Lagos State Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), on Friday, advised petrol tanker drivers to adhere to safety regulations during loading and on transit.

    Mr Hyginus Omoje, the Sector Commander, gave this advice during a sanitization workshop to mark the three years anniversary of “Safe-to-load FRSC intervention programme”.

    Omoje, said that Safe-to-load was instituted to curb road crashes and tanker fire outbreaks, halt loss of lives, economic waste and its negative impacts on the environment.

    The commander, who expressed worry on the recent tanker fire-outbreaks in the country that claimed lives and properties, said that the event would afford them the opportunity to review the programme.

    According to him, safety is an all-encompassing thing, involving the depot owners, managers, safety officers and the drivers in the chain of petroleum product distribution and transportation.

    “We started posting our officers to depots to assist the owners and their managers to adhere to regulations with the fire outbreaks reoccurring at alarming rates.

    Read Also: 237 die in Ogun road crashes in 10 months – FRSC

    “The truck checklist, which we issued to depots, is a comprehensive safety template that if religiously followed by the operators, will save us from a lot of road crashes and fire incidents.

    “Our previous review of the safe-to-load initiative, which began in 2015, has shown a progressive trend, as tanker fire outbreaks and tanker induced road crashes were reduced in 2016 and 2017,” Omoje said.

    He said that the command wished to use the event to remind the drivers and the depot owners to adhere to the provisions of the truck and depot checklist.

    Mr Adebayo Habib, the spokesman of the operators, called on the command to take the campaign to the various depots as most infractions started from the depots.

    Habib pledged on behalf of the tanker owners to ensure that every depot would employ the services of professional Health Safety Environment (HSE) officers to ensure checks at depots.

    NAN

  • Travel agent charged with N1.1m Montenegro visa fraud

    A 33-year-old travel agent, Daniel Akpan, was on Wednesday brought before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State for allegedly swindling a banker of N1.1million.

    Akpan collected the money on the pretext of obtaining a Montenegro visa and flight ticket for the complainant, Mr Micheal Oguocha.

    Akpan who resides in Igando area of Lagos, is being tried on a two-count charge of conspiracy to defraud and issuance of dud cheque.

    He was said to have collected the 1.1million from the banker in one of the commercial banks in Yaba area of Lagos.

    Police Prosecutor, ASP Roman Unuigbe, told the court that the accused committed the offence sometime between March 2017 and January 2018 at Igando area of Lagos.

    Unuigbe said that the accused fraudulently obtained the N1.1 million on the pretext of obtaining a Montenegro visa and flight ticket for the complainant but went ahead to issue him fake visa and ticket.

    “When the complainant discovered that the ticket and visa were fake, he confronted the accused who promised to refund the money to him.

    Read Also: Dasuki asks court to excuse him from prosecution

    “In the course of the transaction, the accused issued five Stanbic IBTC cheques with No. 18258065, 18250861, 18258062, 18258063 and 18258065 to the complainant for the refund.

    “When the complainant got to the bank, he discovered that the cheques were all dud cheques,’’ he said.

    The offences contravene Sections 321 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

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

    Chief Magistrate Peter Ojo, admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

    Ojo said that the sureties must be gainfully employed with an evidence of three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    He adjourned the case until Dec. 21 for trial.

    NAN

  • No political gang-up can stop Sanwo-Olu – Lagos APC

    The Lagos State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Saturday, said its governorship candidate, Mr Jide Sanwo-Olu, would defeat all opponents to win the 2019 election.

    The Assistant Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Mr Abiodun Salami, told our reporters in Lagos.

    He was reacting to a statement by a group of opposition political parties on Friday, which that Sanwo-Olu was not a popular candidate and that he could not win the state in 2019.

    The Publicity Secretary of the PDP in the state, Mr Taofeek Gani, had recently said Sanwo-Olu was “unprepared and incompetent” and that he would not emerge in 2019.

    Reacting, Salami said no political gang-up could stop Sanwo-Olu as he enjoyed the support of residents to emerge as the next governor of the state.

    He said the governorship candidate was competent and prepared, adding that the people of Lagos state would vote for him to continue the development strides of the APC in the state.

    “Sanwo-Olu will emerge the next governor of Lagos by God’s grace. He is the choice of Lagos residents. He will be voted to continue the development strides of the APC.

    Read Also: Lagos APC to PDP: Sanwo-Olu is prepared

    “How relevant are those parties saying all sorts of things about our candidate. Can they win any ward let alone the entire state.

    “So, we cannot be joining issues with them.We don’t want to make them popular.

    ‘’The party to be is APC. Everybody is here. Sanwoolu will defeat PDP and those parties all together,” he said.

    Salami said the chapter had commenced reconciliation of members owing to the issues in the last primaries in the state.

    He said the essence of the exercise was to strengthen unity in the party, to ensure total rout of PDP and others in 2019.

    NAN