The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Lagos State

  • Man docked for snatching motorcycle at gunpoint

    For allegedly snatching a motorcycle valued at N400, 000 at gunpoint, a 24-year-old man, Babatunde Sheffiu, was on Thursday brought before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.

    The accused, who claimed to be a welder, lives at No. 17, Ologunde St., Awoyaya in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, is facing a two-count-charge of conspiracy and stealing.

    Sheffiu, however, denied the charges.

    The prosecutor, Insp. Peter Nwangwu told the court that the accused committed the offences on Aug. 27, 2016 at about 4.30 p. m. at Ibeju-Lekki.

    According to him, the accused conspired and stole a motorcycle belonging to the complainant, Danjuma Idris.

    He said that the complainant, a commercial motorcyclist, carried the accused and his accomplice still at large from Eputu to Lakowe area of Ibeju- Lekki.

    “The accused and his accomplice told Idris to come to Ona-Osa Bus Stop, and on getting to a lonely path, the accused alighted and paid the complainant.

    “As Idris was about to go, the accused shot him in the leg and hit him on the head with the butt of the gun.

    “The accused took away his motorcycle, believing he was dead, but he was later apprehended by the police.”

    The offences contravened sections 285 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that section 285 stipulates a three-year jail term for stealing, while Section 409 provides two years for conspiracy.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Y.O. Aje Afunwa, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

    Aje Afunwa, who said the sureties must be gainfully employed, adjourned the case until May 8 for trial

     

  • Man arraigned for stabbing man with knife

    A 21-year-old jobless man, John Victor , who allegedly assaulted a man, Mike Osamaghomuwi, by stabbing him with a knife, was on Thursday arraigned before Chief magistrate Titus Abolarinwa sitting in Apapa, Lagos.

    The accused was, however, released on bail in the sum of N100,000  with one surety.

    Abolarinwa said the surety must be gainfully employed and also show evidence of two-year tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    Victor, a resident of Mile 2 area of Lagos, is standing trial on a charge of causing grievous bodily harm.

    The Prosecutor, Insp. Tony Elibeh told the court that the accused, who entered a not-guilty plea, committed the offence on March 15 at Mile 2, Festac Road, Lagos.

    He alleged that the accused assaulted Osamaghomuwi by beating him and stabbing him with a knife following an argument between them.

    He said attempts by other pedestrians at the scene to settle the dispute proved abortive as the accused continued to stab the complainant.

    “The complainant was rushed to the hospital, while the accused was apprehended by the police.”

    The offence contravened Section 243 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the section prescribes a seven-year jail term for grievous harm.

    Further hearing in the case has been fixed for April 12.

     

  • Saleswoman faces N2.4m theft charge

    A 32-year-old saleswoman, Slyvia Lemeh, was on Thursday arraigned before an Apapa Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, for allegedly stealing N2.4 million from her employer.

    Lemeh, who is a resident of Ajegunle area of Apapa, Lagos pleaded not guilty to a charge of stealing.

    According to the prosecutor, Insp. Tony Elibeh , the accused committed the offence between the months of January and February at Yusuf Adebayo Street, Olodi Apapa, Lagos.

    He alleged that the accused, who works as a saleswoman at Sebastian Ibe’s shop, stole N2.4 million from him.

    Elibeh said the accused received the sum of N2.4 million being the proceed made from sales, and instead of remitting the money to Ibe, she converted the money to personal use.

    The prosecutor said Ibe reported the case to the police and the accused was arrested.

    He noted that the offence contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 285 prescribes a minimum of three-year jail term for stealing, if found guilty.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mr Titus Abolarinwa, admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

    The Magistrate adjourned the case till April 12, for mention.

     

  • Ikorodu communities decry 14 days power outage

    Electricity consumers in some communities in Ikorodu Local Government Area of Lagos State, on Thursday complained of living in darkness for 14 days due to power outage.

    The consumers told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the affected communities include Erunwen, Grammar School, Solomade, and Kokoro Abu.

    Mr Karimu Adisa, a resident of Kokoro-Abu, said the outage had paralysed commercial and domestic activities in his community.

    He said that the lack of power was unbearable; adding that it was the first time the area is experiencing such long outage.

    “This outage is uncalled for because my community is not under those that were listed as going to be on outage due to maintenance work by Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

    “We have been in darkness without any tangible reasons from Ikeja Electric.

    “It would have been better if our community is among those that are on outage due to maintenance work by TCN technical crew but we are not.

    “We believe this is the actual time to enjoy electricity supply because power generation has increased.

    “We are appealing to officials of Ikeja Electric to get to the root of the problem and restore power supply,’’ Adisa said.

    Mrs Funke Ige, a frozen food seller at Solomade, Ikorodu said that the outage had affected her business such that customers no longer patronised her.

    “I am spending close to N3,000 daily to fuel my generator in order to ensure that my frozen food is fresh and actually frozen.

    “In spite of this extra expenditure I cannot increase the price of my goods because customers will not patronise me.

    “We are selling at a loss due to the outage, IE should come and fix our electricity, we are going through hell here,’’ Ige said.

    Also, Mr Johnson Isaac, a resident of Erunwen, described the services offered by the company in the area as poor.

    He said that communities in Ikorodu no longer enjoyed power supply since the privatisation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

    “The purpose of power sector privatisation has been defeated because since Nov. 1, 2013 electricity supply has not been regular.

    “IE officials are just extorting money from consumers without providing commensurate supply.

    “Our area has been cut-off from the grid without reasonable explanation still they will send their officials at the end of the month to distribute bills without electricity supply.

    “This is injustice and we are waiting for them,’’ Isaac said.

    When contacted, Mr Felix Ofulue, the Head of Ikeja Electric Corporate Communications, said that the company was not aware of the outage in the area.

    Ofulue, however, said that a technical crew would be sent to the communities to identify the fault and restore power supply to the area.

    He apologised to consumers in the area for the outage, assuring them that power would soon be restored to their communities.

     

  • Police arraign man for beating sister to a pulp

    The police on Thursday arraigned a 24-year-old man, Chima Ezeakolam in an Apapa Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, charged with beating his sister, Queen Ezeakolam to a pulp over plate of extra food.

    Ezeokolam, a resident of Agbe Street, Olodi Apapa, Lagos, is standing trial on a two-count charge of assault and breach of peace.

    The prosecutor, Insp. Tony Elibeh, told the court that the defendant, who entered a not-guilty plea, committed the offences on Jan. 28 at their residence.

    He said Ezeokolam assaulted his sister, Queen, by beating her to a pulp after she
    refused to give him an extra plate of food.

    He added that efforts by their older siblings to settle the dispute proved abortive as the defendant held the sister and continued to beat her.

    The prosecutor said the sister reported the case to the police and the brother was arrested for further questioning, noting that the offences contravened Section 166 and 171 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    Section 171 prescribes three-year jail term for assault, occasioning harm.

    Meanwhile, the Chief magistrate, Mr Titus Abolarinwa, had granted bail to the
    defendant in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum.

    Abolarinwa said the surety must be gainfully employed and must show evidence of two-year tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    He adjourned further hearing in the case till April 17 for mention.

     

  • Best LASU graduating student wrote UTME seven times

    Best LASU graduating student wrote UTME seven times

     

    A pregnant woman, Mrs Elizabeth Orefuwa, the Lagos State University (LASU) best graduating students in 2015/2016, says she wrote the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) seven times before gaining admission.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the heavily pregnant student, graduated with a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.74 in Accounting Education.

    Orefuwa, 29, said during the institution’s 21st convocation on Wednesday in Lagos that the journey through the institution did not come easy but with determination and motivation, she had success a story to tell.

    She said that in the process of seeking for university admission, she started a professional career in accounting.

    “The journey through the institution was not easy; it took me seven years of writing the UTME before I finally gained admission in 2012.

    “I also applied for direct entry three times at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

    “During this period of waiting, I started professional career at the Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN) in 2007 and became qualified as an Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA) in 2010,’’Orefuwa told NAN.

    She said that she wanted to study accounting but fate brought her to education, adding that she enjoyed every bit of it and never dreamt of coming out with a first class and becoming the best student.

    According to her, self-determination and motivation through her father’s insisting on academic excellence give her an edge.

    “My aim is to get my first degree certificate after several years of waiting and to satisfy my dad, who has been insisting on academic certificate before professional certificate.

    “He would always say to me then that I have put the cart before the horse.

    “However, what kept me going was self-belief, focus and determination bearing in mind that I am not competing with other but with my own capabilities.’’

    She said that her marriage at the beginning of her final year and the pregnancy condition did not affect her academic performance.

    “I had a CGPA of 4.72 before marriage and I graduated with 4.74 point.

    “I got married during my final year in 2015 and my husband was very supportive throughout that period.’’

    Although a chartered accountant, Orefuwa said she would love to teach and combine it with practising accounting profession.

     

  • Beggars, stinking refuse worry Ikotun residents in Lagos

    Increased numbers of beggars and heaps of stinking refuse at the Ikotun Central Roundabout in Lagos State are giving Ikotun residents a cause to worry.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that no fewer than 50 beggars daily seek alms at the roundabout where about 10 heaps of decaying refuse ooze stench.

    The roundabout connects about 10 communities on Lagos Mainland.

    Many commuters alight at the roundabout or board vehicles from there to their various destinations including Egbeda, Igando, Abaranje, Ejigbo, Ijegun and Isheri Osun.

    The beggars, mostly women and children, sit on the refuse and seek alms from pedestrians and motorists.

    The beggars and the stinking refuse, besides reckless driving, cause heavy traffic on the roundabout.

    Some residents and commuters in Ikotun told NAN that the beggars were constituting a nuisance while the stench emanating from the refuse had become unbearable

    A clearing agent, Mr Abiodun Ajayi, said on Wednesday that he had abandoned the route because of the situation.

    “My worry is the beggars who disturb motorists trying to go through thick traffic. I could no longer tolerate it; so I had to change my route.

    “The government should do something about these because they are a nuisance to the community,” he said.

    Mrs Blessing Ibekwe, who owns a cake shop near the roundabout, also told NAN that the stench from the refuse had become source of worry.

    Miss Rita Oburota, a school teacher, who plies the route daily, appealed to the Igando/Ikotun Local Council Development Area (LCDA) to address the situation to avoid an epidemic.

    A petty trader on the roundabout, who simply identified herself as `Mama Shade’, told NAN that the presence of beggars and the refuse denied her patronage.

    “Many people have stopped buying from me because they said it is not hygienic to buy goods near heaps of refuse.

    “I am trying to get another spot for my market,” she said.

    A worker in the LCDA , who pleaded anonymity, said that the beggars had been sent away several times but they returned.

    “These beggars are stubborn, they will always find their way back because of what they get from the people,” he said.

    A generator seller near the roundabout, Mr Jude Udemba, advised the council to plant flowers on the roundabout as a strategy to send the beggars away.

    “If the government plants flowers on Ikotun Roundabout as in some other parts of Lagos, the beggars will have no space to hang around,” he said.

    The Information Officer, Igando/Ikotun LCDA, Mr Tope Kuku, told NAN that the council did not have the capacity to relocate the beggars.

    “The council does not have what it takes to take them away; where do we take them to?

    “The state government made efforts to take them away but these people are stubborn,” he said.

    He urged the state government to provide the council with the means to evacuate the beggars and the heaps of refuse.

     

  • Security guard faces N 2.5m fraud charge

    A 26-year-old security guard, Mohammed Andoka, who allegedly obtained N2.5 million from accommodation seekers under false pretences, was on Wednesday brought before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

    Andoka, who resides at No. 27, Oladimeji St., Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, is facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and fraud.

    The prosecutor, Sgt. Cyriacus Osuji, told the court that the accused committed the offences on March 13, at 2:00pm., at his residence.

    He alleged that the accused fraudulently obtained the sum of N2.5 million from the complainant, one Mrs Ruth Obaseki, under the guise of renting a three-bedroomed flat to her.

    Osuji said that the accused failed to rent the apartment to the complainant as agreed, after collecting the money.

    The offences contravened Sections 285, 312 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The accused pleaded not guilty.

    The Magistrate, Mr Martins Owumi, granted the accused N500, 000 bail, with two sureties in like sum.

    He said that the sureties must be gainfully employed and must show evidence of three years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    Owumi said that the sureties must deposit N100, 000 in the court registrar’s account.

    The magistrate also ordered that the sureties must swear to affidavit of means, and have their addresses verified.

    He adjourned the case until April 20, for mention.

     

  • Housewife docked for beating woman to pulp

    A 28-year-old housewife, Olotu Chizoba, who allegedly assaulted a co-tenant by beating her to a pulp, was on Wednesday arraigned before Magistrate O. Sule-Amzat sitting at Ogudu, Lagos.

    Olotu, who resides at Bello Street, Ikosi Road in Ketu area of Lagos, is being tried for assault occasioning harm.

    The prosecutor, Sgt. Lucky Ihiehie, told the court that the accused committed the offence on March 15 on Ikosi Road.

    He said the complainant, Mrs Samuel Nwali came to Ketu Police Station in company of her husband to report the incident.

    According to the prosecutor, the accused had beaten up the complainant’s two children.

    “The complainant confronted her and the the accused, instead of aplogising to her, descended on her and used a big stick to beat her.

    “She also bit her on her right breast, almost cutting off the nipple.,” Ihiehie said.

    The offence contravened Section 171 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the section prescribes three years for assault occasioning harm.

    The accused, pleaded guilty to the charge.

    However, the prosecutor told the court that both parties were ready for out-of-court settlement.

    Ihiehie said the accused had realised her mistake and had begged the complainant and her husband.

    “The complainant and her husband are in court with a withdrawal letter to settle out-of-court.”

    In her ruling, the magistrate struck out the case for out-of-court settlement.

     

  • Two accused for chopping off woman’s ear over N30 `pure’ water

    A businessman, Friday Aigbogun and his lover, Olamide Fashanu, charged with biting off a woman’s ear appeared at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Monday.

    The accused: Aigbogun, 40, and Fashanu, 26, residents of Adegbule Street, Mushin, Lagos State are facing four counts of a breach of the peace, conspiracy, assault and grievous harm.

    According to the prosecutor, Insp. Rita Momoh, the accused committed the offences on March 14 at No. 43, Ayantuga St., Mushin.

    She said that the accused conspired to unlawfully assault Mrs Ajoke Wasiu by biting off her right ear completely.

    “The accused beat and inflicted wounds on the complainant’s right ear, “she said.

    Momoh said that the accused went to buy N30 worth of sachet water popularly called `pure-water’ from the complainant.

    “The accused gave the complainant N30 being the cost of three `pure water’, the complainant then gave them the water.

    “But the accused insisted that the complainant must put them inside a nylon bag.

    “The complainant told them that she did not have a nylon bag and they asked for a refund of their money, and she did.

    “The accused started cursing and abusing the complainant calling her unprintable names.

    “And when the complainant responded, the accused grabbed her and started beating her.

    “In the process, the second accused, Fashanu, chopped off the right ear of the complainant with her teeth’’ the prosecutor said.

    The prosecutor said that the part of the ear that was chopped-off was recovered at the scene of the incident.

    She said the offences contravened Sections 166, 171, 243 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 243 prescribes seven years’ jail term for grievous harm.

    The accused pleaded innocence to the counts and were granted bail in the sum of N50, 000 each with two sureties each in like sum.

    The magistrate, Mr M.K.O. Fadeyi adjourned the case until April 10 for mention.