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Tag: lagos

  • Dismissed Lance Corporals, others held for lorry ‘hijack’

    Two dismissed Lance Corporals, a fake soldier and two others have been arrested by the police in Lagos for allegedly hijacking a vegetable oil laden truck at Epe.

    The suspects, Akintola Abiodun of the Nigerian Air Force (13NAF/89/8811), Moses Johnson of the army (13NA/69/8811), Monday Ayele, 42, Esowanne Emeka, 30, and the fake soldier Osegbu Chidi, 30, were paraded on Wednesday  by Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal.

    According to Edgal, the suspects were notorious highway armed robbers, who specialised in intercepting, diverting lorries in that axis.

    He said the command had received several complaints from victims of military men hijacking vehicles carrying goods, adding that with the arrest of the suspects, it has been established that the perpetrators of the crime were criminals impersonating the military.

    Edgal said the suspects were arrested on Sunday night after they hijacked a Sterling truck with registration number LSR266XW carrying vegetable oil worth N13,250,000 million.

    He said: “They stopped the Kano State bound truck close to Ijebu Ode and pushed the conductor and the driver out of the vehicle. However, as the duo were trekking towards Epe, Lagos, they came across a policeman and narrated their ordeal to him.

    “The policeman immediately contacted some of the police stations along the route taken by the robbers. At about 10:30pm, policemen on stop and search duty, saw the truck coming and intercepted it. In the process, Ayele and Emeka were arrested.

    “During interrogation, they mentioned the others as part of those who hijacked the truck.

    “The truck and the goods were recovered intact and all the suspects have been identified by the victims. Suspects will be charged to court at the conclusion of investigation.”

    However, the ex-personnel, who were dismissed for allegedly aiding Boko Haram and riotous behaviour, denied involvement in the hijack.

    They claimed they were only invited by one Oloja for escort duty. While Johnson said he was promised N10,000 to escort the truck, Abiodun disclosed that his fee was N20,000.

    Admitting it was wrong to have worn military camouflage years after they had been dismissed, the duo said they usually used the attire for escort duties so as to get money to feed.

    Narrating how his truck was hijacked, the driver, Rabiu Kazeem said: “I saw a hilux with amber light. It flagged me down and I saw some men with soldiers uniform. I stopped and they told me to get down. I asked them what I have done but they brought out their gun.

    Read Also: Man breaks into shop, steals N180,000 goods

    “My conductor jumped into the bush. Since I was alone, I could not do much. I stepped down but I didn’t  go far. I sat on an iron underneath the vehicle and clung to its arm rest because I wanted to know where they were taking the truck to.

    “But one of them who was on a bike saw me. I did not know he was their member. He told me to come down that he will help me pursue them, that it was dangerous for me to stay in that position.

    “I listened to him but instead of pursuing the truck, he became slow and so, I raised alarm. People in the community came out and I explained what happened, begged them to hold that man while I entered another vehicle to look for them.

    On our way to look for them, we saw Rapid Response Squad (RRS) patrol vehicle and informed them about what happened.

    “I am so grateful to the police for rescuing this truck and the product. If not, the owner would have sent me to jail that I sold his goods, whereas, it was armed robbers that took them.”

  • Man breaks into shop, steals N180,000 goods

    A 28-year-old man, John Ekemini, who allegedly broke into a shop and stole goods worth N180,000, was on Wednesday arraigned at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

    Ekemini, whose address was not provided, was docked for shop-breaking and stealing.

    The prosecutor, Sgt. Mike Unah, told the court that Ekemini committed the offence on Aug. 5 by 06:00a.m, at No. 1, Jonathan Coker Road, New Oko-Oba, Agege in Lagos.

    Unah said that the defendant broke into the shop of the complainant, Mrs Kehinde Fasasi, in the early hours of the same day to steal the goods.

    “Ekemini stole an LG plasma television valued at N65,000, three gas cylinders valued at N30,000 and some cloths valued at N90,000.

    The prosecutor said that the defendant was caught while trying to escape with the stolen items by the vigilance team in the Area.

    Ekemini, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

    The offence contravened Sections 287 and 309 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

    Read Also: 93, 788 PVCs uncollected in Plateau – INEC

    The Section 287 stipulates a seven-year jail term for offenders, while Section 309 provides three years for shop-breaking.

    The Magistrate, Mr A. A. Fashola, admitted him to a N50,000 bail with two sureties in like sum.

    Fashola said that the surety should be gainfully employed, with evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos state government.

    The magistrate adjourned the case until Sept. 12, for hearing.

  • Lagos training union leaders

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has trained union leaders on collective bargaining. He said yesterday that the four-day training would promote industrial harmony.

    He said the programme would ensure a team spirit to address labour-related matters.

    Speaking at the capacity building workshop organised by the Ministry of Establishment, Training and Pensions, in conjunction with Rosette Consulting in Ikeja, Ambode reiterated his administration’s commitment to training and others to promote industrial harmony.

    The governor, represented by Commissioner for Establishment, Training and Pensions Dr. Akintola Benson-Oke, hailed the unions for not embarking on strike since inception of his administration.

    Describing the theme of the workshop: “Trade Unionism, Collective Bargaining, and Leadership for Trade Union Leaders” as apt, Ambode said in terms of conceptualising the relationship between employers of labour, such as the Lagos State government and trade unions, certain misconceptions persist.

    Said he: “The Lagos State government and organised labour have utilised the process of collective bargaining to promote mutual understanding, deepen trust and concretise a symbiotic relationship among stakeholders. “International Labour Organisation defines collective bargaining as an instrument that measures appropriately to national conditions. It shall be taken, where necessary, to encourage and promote development and utilisation of a machinery for voluntary negotiation between employers or employers’ organisations and workers, to regulate the terms and conditions of employment by means of collective agreement.”

    The Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Rhoda Ayinde, urged union leaders to use the training to educate workers.

     

     

     

     

  • When Lagos kicked against drug abuse 

    The revelation by one of the suspects in the Offa robbery incident in Kwara State that they took Tramadol and other hard drugs before embarking on the killing-spree was not only worrisome but further brings to fore the prevalence of drug abuse among the young generation and the ripple effects which the dastardly practice is capable of having on the larger population.

    To say that this increasing trend of drug misuse calls for action from concerned authorities is restating the obvious and this is why Lagos State has over the years remained at the forefront of initiating ideas that and concepts tailored towards addressing germane areas of public interest. The recent launch of a rigorous campaign recently by the state government against the prevalence of drug abuse is a pointer to this fact and the campaign could not have come at a better time considering the need to forestall further damages arising from drug abuse.

    Confirming the alarming rate of drug abuse across the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) gave an analysis that about 76.3 million people struggle with alcohol use disorders contributing to 1.8 million deaths per year. The United Nations reported that around 185 million people globally over the age of 15 were consuming drugs by the end of the twentieth century.

    It is in order to stem the increasing trend of this social malady that the Lagos State government through its Ministry of Youth and Social Development recently flagged off the Lagos State Kicks Against Drug Abuse (LASKADA) initiative to complement other such existing government’s efforts towards tackling drug abuse in the state.

    The initiative hinges upon a tripod approach comprising events, engagements with stakeholders and awareness campaign. The campaign started with a 1,000-man walk against drug abuse involving top government functionaries actively took part. With regards to awareness campaign, there are already series of activities on various platforms to ensure that the message gets to the targeted audience.

    Faith based organisations, traditional bodies, road transport workers, the political class, NDLEA, youth organisations; NGOs, the media and other critical stakeholders were engaged in this campaign with a view to drastically reducing the rate of drug abuse in the state.  Specifically, religious leaders in churches and mosques were told to set aside a day of worship to sermonize to worshippers on the prevalence and effect of drug abuse through the power of the pulpit and minbar respectively.

    The Ministry of Youth and Social Development is also currently working hard with other stakeholders to begin the school and community based sensitization. This will start as soon as the committee that has been set up to drive it is inaugurated. It needs to be stressed that the committee comprises both public and corporate stakeholders.

    For obvious reason, the campaign’s main target is the youth who are most vulnerable when it comes to drug abuse and other related matters. Without a doubt, the youth represents the largest population in Nigeria and is, therefore, considered the most susceptible group as far as drug and issues are concerned.

    A recent United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Report shows that the age of first use in the country is 10-29 years. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has expressed concern over the increasing level of drug abuse and drug trafficking among Nigerian youths. According to the NDLEA, the situation had been worsened by the affordability of substance of abuse such as cough syrups, lizard wastes, gums and cannabis sativa popularly known as Indian hemp. Considering the delicate and sensitive position of the youth within the society, drug addiction among them remains a major threat to national growth and development.

    The ingenuity introduced into substance misuse and abuse with complex mixtures, experimentation and new discoveries among young people should be a source of great concern to any people oriented government. Youth involvement in this maladaptive and anti-social behaviour would, no doubt, aggravate their involvement in crimes such as robbery, stealing, kidnapping, cybercrime, rape, domestic violence, murder, suicide, among others.

    Currently, the state government has enlisted the female football superstar, AsisatOsoala, current African Female Footballer of the Year as ambassador in the campaign against drug abuse. This move is quite strategic because of the erroneous notion among the youths that without drug use, success cannot be attained in the fields of sports and entertainment. Thus, it is expected that the involvement of an accomplished superstar of Osoalacalibre in the campaign would clearly help drive home this point. It is hoped that more superstars in the sports, arts and entertainment industry would come on board this laudable project.

    Other initiatives that have earlier been put in place by the state government to deal with the scourge of drug abuse include the establishment of youth-friendly centres in all the Local Government Areas as well as Local Government Development Areas (LCDAs) to serve as venue for relaxation and recreation and to further engage the youth in productive venture so that the menace of drug abuse could be drastically eradicated. Establishment of drug dependent rehabilitation centre by the state government equally gives support to youths who are addicted to drugs.

    In order to ensure that the various commitments of the state government in tackling drug abuse are not in vain, other stakeholders need to join hands with the government to put up a common front against this scourge.  Environmental influence, especially during childhood, is a very important factor in drug addiction. Parents or older family members who abuse alcohol or drugs, or who engage in criminal behaviour, can increase children’s risks of developing their own drug problems. Friends and acquaintances can also have an increasingly strong influence during adolescence.

    Also, parents and guardians need to demonstrate exemplary conducts that would inculcate the right moral values in their children. Equally, parents must spend more time with their children to observe their various developmental stages with keen interest with a view to ensuring that any bad habit noticed in them are swiftly nipped in the bud before they become too complicated.

    Undue struggles for economic survival should not be a justification for parents to neglect their natural role in the proper of upbringing of their children. Of what essence is a family’s financial solidity if the children are not properly brought up? It is only when parents spend ample time with their children that they could really notice negative vices and in traits in them and quickly nip such in the bud.

    In addition, the NDLEA and other similar law enforcement agencies must step up the clampdown on the production and illicit trafficking of banned substances. As long as these substances remain in circulation, the youths will always be tempted into consuming them. Given the enormity of the damage of drug addiction to mankind, no effort should be spared to curb its menace.

     

    • Quodus wrote in from Lagos.

  • Growing optimism as Lagos boosts artisans’ training

    Artisan training has been entrenched as Lagos State priority.This was confirmed as the government completed eight week’s intensive training and re-skilling programme for over 1,500 tradesmen and artisans in twenty-three different trades and vocations across the state.

    Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment,  Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf during a monitoring/familiarisation visit to one of the re-skilling centres in Ikeja, commended the beneficiaries of the training for their resilience throughout the training.

    She expressed optimism that the beneficiaries, having been exposed to  modern ways of trading and modern tools in their various vocations and trade, stood better chance above their peers who were not part of the training.

    The commissioner urged the beneficiaries to extend the exposure garnered through the training to their colleagues in other respective vocations, saying that the ultimate aim of the state government is to have competent artisans who can confidently handle various tasks that would be of reputable standard.

    “Having been trained by the state government, it is our expectation that you will use the knowledge and experience acquired to advance the state’s economy, improve its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and curb the practice of bringing artisans from neighboring countries for works that can be handled by  our indigenous artisans.” she said.

    The Head of Entrepreneurship Department in the Ministry, Mrs. Taiwo Abiose said the training is the eighth   up-skilling programme and it is one of the several ways of positioning artisans to compete globally with their contemporaries, especially in this era of different innovations and Information Communication Technology (ICT).

    She said the re-skilling training programme was designed for practitioners of different trades and vocations who are desirous of exploiting new frontiers and also acquainting themselves with modern technologies in their various fields.

    One of the beneficiaries and a member of Professional Carpenters & Furniture Makers Association, Akinola Akindele, appreciated the s government for the gesture.

    He pleaded with the state government to complement the training initiative with the provision of work tools for the artisans, saying this would make the training impactful, sustainable and profitable to them. The training was put together by the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment and Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board, LASTVEB to improve the competencies of artisans and tradesmen in the State so that their competencies can earn them more job opportunities. The training covered tie and dye, shoemaking, welding, barbing/ cosmetology, catering, vulcanizing among others.

  • Lagos to resident doctors: shelve planned strike

    The Lagos State Government has appealed to resident doctors to shelve their panned three-day warning strike billed to begin tomorrow in the public interest.

    Commissioner for Health Dr Jide Idris urged the doctors to consider the plight of the masses who always bear the brunt of such actions.

    The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, on Sunday threatened to embark on an indefinite strike following what it called acute shortage of resident doctors and house officers in the hospital.

    It said LASUTH management’s failure to employ house officers and resident doctors would trigger the strike.

    The ARD-LASUTH threatened a shutdown of services in the hospital, adding that doctors will not attend to emergency cases during the period.

    But in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday, Idris said there were plans to hire more house officers and resident doctors. He urged the doctors to shelve their plan.

    He said: “There are plans by the state government to employ more house officers and resident doctors. We have started that already.

    “If you will recall that the Lagos State Health Service Commission care facilities have an approval to recruit more house officers and we are working on the other approval for the teaching hospitals.

    “So we are aware of the agitations and we are working seriously on how to address the issue; we will meet with stakeholders today.

    “I appeal to the doctors to shelve their planned strike in the interest of the people.”

  • Ondo to partner Lagos on rice production

    The Ondo State government has said it will partner its Lagos State counterpart on rice production.

    Commissioner for Agriculture Adegboyega Adefarati, said this while inspecting Fadama III Additional Financing projects in Akure North Local Government Area.

    Adefarati said the state government had secured over 4,000 hectares of land in Ogbese, Okitipupa, Ese-Odo and Ilaje for rice production.

    “The Lagos State government, as it is doing with Kebbi State, is coming to Ondo State to partner with us on rice production,” he said.

    The commissioner said a Fadama-sponsored rice factory would produce the state’s branded rice.

    Inspecting the installation of the 14-tonne per day rice mill funded by the Fadama project at Ogbese, Adefarati said farmers got necessary support due to government’s intervention through prompt payment of counterpart contribution.

    Adefarati, who also visited the 20-hectare cassava farm of Iju-Ifedapo cluster in Akure North Local Government Area, urged farmers to continue to support the administration to enjoy more dividends of good governance.

    The commissioner assured farmers that the state government would soon enact enabling laws that would prevent incessant farmers-herders conflict in the state.

    The Chairman of the Production Cluster at Ogbese, Mr Ajewole Ajisafe, attributed the success recorded in farm operation to the peaceful and harmonious relationship between farmers and herdsmen.

    Ajisafe said herdsmen in the community had been operating without conflicts, adding that this had been the recipe for mutual relationship

  • Landlord ‘removes tenant’s door, steals goods’

    A landlord, Adekunle Santos, who allegedly removed the door of his tenant’s shop and carted away goods valued at N994,850, was on Monday brought before an Igbosere Magistrates Court in Lagos.

    Santos, 63, of No. 1, Santos Avenue, Abule-Egba, Lagos, is standing trial before Mrs A. M. Davies on a four-count charge of conspiracy, stealing, damage and breach of peace.

    Prosecuting Inspector Emby Ingobo alleged that Santos and unknown accomplices, conspired and committed the offences at about 4pm on May 23, at his residence.

    Ingobo said: “Santos, in order to prevent his tenant Esther Demola, a hair stylist, from doing her business, unlawfully removed her shop entrance door, without lawful authority”.

    Read Also: Barber ‘steals sister’s ATM card, withdraws N150,000’

    The court heard that Santos also stole electrical wire and goods valued at N994,850, belonging to Demola, from the shop.

    According to Ingobo, the offences contravened sections 411, 280, 287, 273(d) and 168(1)(d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    Santos pleaded not guilty.

    Magistrate Davies granted him N100,000 bail with one surety in the like sum.

    She adjourned the case till September 24.

  • Lagos to revolutionise public transportation

    All the major components in the bus reform initiative to revolutionise public transportation in Lagos State are gradually taking shape Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Dr Taiwo Salaam has said.

    The components included bus stops with comfortable shelter, lay-by, lighting, walkways, guard-rails, wire-mesh fencing for pedestrian protection, passenger information system aid.

    According to Salaam, the modern bus stops would ensure free-flow of traffic as there would no longer be any disruption to vehicular movement.

    The project, which was conceptualised, designed and being constructed by an indigenous firm, Planet Projects Ltd, Salaam said, “will facilitate construction of over 300 bus stops and lay-bys across the state in line with the goal of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration to bequeath world class transportation system to the state.”

  • Lagos following due process on protesting workers’salaries

    THe hope of protesting Community Sanitation Workers (CSW) getting their unpaid salaries from the Lagos State government is high.

    The Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of the Environment (MoE),  Mukaila Sanusi, told The Nation that the  protest was unnecessary as steps were  being taken to pay them.

    Sanusi said following the absorption of the CSW by the ministry, it became imperative for a verification to ascertain the authenticity of the actual number.

    “It is the verification that has just been concluded. And then we need to compute their package before payment. I can assure you that it won’t be long before they get their salaries. The Lagos State government, under Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, pays its workers promptly and is not in the habit of owing any worker, but we have to follow due process,” Sanusi said.

    Last week, the CSW embarked on a protest to the governor’s office in Alausa, Ikeja, over an alleged non-payment of two months’ salaries purportedly owed them by Visionscape Sanitation Solutions (VSS), the concessionaire to the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI).

    However, VSS denied the allegation, saying the Ministry of the Environment/Public Utility Monitoring Assurance Unit (PUMAU) should be held responsible.

    VSS’Chief Executive Officer, John Irvine, said while the firm remains committed to working with stakeholders in the CLI drive, it is not responsible for CSW.

    “We remain committed to working with all stakeholders as we carry out our respective roles and responsibilities and will continue to support the Cleaner Lagos Initiative,” Irvine assured.