The Nation Newspaper

Tag: lagos

  • 20 kidnappers killed during rescue of abducted Lagos students – Police

    20 kidnappers killed during rescue of abducted Lagos students – Police

    Twenty kidnappers were killed, while eight policemen and four civilian volunteers sustained injuries in the rescue of the abducted Lagos School boys on Friday.

    Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni disclosed this while briefing the media on the rescue of the students of Igbonla Model College, Epe.

    He, however, disclosed that one civilian volunteer unfortunately died in the process of rescuing the students.

    The Commissioner  also said that a suspect, who attempted to capitalize on the situation to swindle the parents of the students by asking that they should bring ransom to Abeokuta, was arrested and is currently in police custody.

    He praised the South West Governors for demonstrating clear commitment to combat crime in the region, saying that the communiqué issued in Abeokuta with respect to creation of Joint Security Task Force for the region, is already yielding positive result.

    The State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode hailed the successful rescue of the six kidnapped students and assured that the government would utilise the academic break to reinforce security in all schools in the State, especially in the suburb and riverine areas to prevent a re-occurrence.

    The Governor, who spoke through the State’s Deputy Governor, Dr. Mrs. Oluranti Adebule said he remained totally committed to ensuring the security of all residents especially students and would spare nothing to ensure that schools remain safe from all forms of crime and criminality.

    He said: “The issue of security is a social contract that we have signed with the people of Lagos and we would ensure that we do not disappoint. As far as our schools are concerned, we are going back to the drawing board to secure our schools before the next academic session”.

    Governor Ambode, who commended the collaborative efforts by security agencies from Lagos and Ondo States, specially thanked the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo for his interventions towards ensuring the safe rescue of the students.

    Presenting the rescued students to the media, he said they would be debriefed and taken through comprehensive medical tests so as to ensure that they recover from the trauma they might have passed through while in the custody of their abductors.

    Also speaking, Ondo State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu commended Acting President Yemi Osinbajo and Governor Ambode for working tirelessly on the matter, saying that the duo demonstrated uncommon interest in the whole process leading to the safe return of the students.

    Akeredolu said he never believed the kidnappers could be hibernating in Ondo creeks until he was told about a month ago during the National Economic Council (NEC) Meeting in Abuja by Osinbajo, and later Governor Ambode, while he immediately deployed his deputy, Mr Alfred Agboola who is from the riverine areas in Ondo, to take up the matter.

    He said Agboola immediately swung into action and worked with the Delta State Deputy Governor, as well as security agencies to ensure safe return of the students.

    While acknowledging the role of Governor Ambode, Akeredolu said: “I must commend Governor Ambode for his commitment to the rescue of the students. At the meeting of Western Nigeria Governors’ forum held in Abeokuta on Monday, we discussed the issue of the students and Governor Ambode mentioned the issue of joint security patrol in our riverine areas.

    “He (Governor Ambode) was very committed to it and he expressed readiness to support with the needed resources. Throughout the days the students were in captivity, the Lagos State Governor never kept his eyes off the ball and he kept working on it until today that we have the students back,” Akeredolu said.

  • Photo: Freed Igbonla boys

    Photo: Freed Igbonla boys

  • Lagos pays N8b compensation to land owners

    Lagos pays N8b compensation to land owners

    THE Lagos State government has paid N8 billion as compensation to individuals and groups whose property had been affected by capital projects in the last one year.

    The Special Adviser to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Urban Development, Mrs. Yetunde Onabule, broke the news at a seminar on: Urban Thinkers’ Campus: The City We Need.

    The governor’s aide said the government would not evict people without considering their welfare.

    She added that compensation was paid promptly by the government on any land it acquired for public interest with the presentation of necessary documents.

    According to her, the beneficiaries include those affected by the Abule-Egba link bridge, Oko Baba Sawmill relocation, Isale Igangan regeneration project, Olorunsogo Market, Mosafejo community and the Epe Phase I road expansion.

    Mrs Onabule said the government would consistently advocate for land titles while the residents should obtain the governor’s consent on subsequent transactions, regularise and register their titles.

    She said: “You do not want to own a dead capital. The uncertainty of ownership decreases the value of the asset and/or the ability to lend or borrow against it.”

    Stressing the need to have liveable city, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Tunji Bello, said the government was delighted to have be chosen as one of the 74 Urban Thinkers Campuses worldwide.

  • 262 Nigerians deported from Libya

    262 Nigerians deported from Libya

    Not fewer than 262 Nigerians were on Wednesday  returned from Libya .

    They distraught Nigerians were brought back aboard a chartered Libyan Airlines  aircraft with registration number 5A-LAR.

    The aircraft landed  at 10 pm at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

    The returnees consists  108 males, 135 females, eight children and 11 infants.

    They were brought back by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Nigerian Embassy in Libya.

    The returnees were received by officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) , the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Police.

    Also on ground to receive them were officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

    Addressing newsmen, Alhaji Mustapha Maihaja,  the Director General, NEMA, said the agency in collaboration with the IOM was working to ensure that Nigerians stranded in Libya are brought back home.

    The Director General who was represented by Mr Suleiman Yakubu, Zonal Coordinator, South West, NEMA, said both the federal government and state governments had initiated various programmes to rehabilitate and reintegrate the returnees into the society.

    He further advised Nigerians, especially the youths not to be lured into the quest for greener pastures, adding that there was enough opportunities in the country.

  • Ajomole: Lagos council chairmen ’ll make APC proud

    Ajomole: Lagos council chairmen ’ll make APC proud

    The Chairman of Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC), Otunba Henry Ajomole, has congratulated the newly-elected chairmen and councilors across the 57 local government and Local Council Development Areas, for making the party proud in the recent local government elections conducted by the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC).

    In a statement by his Media Adviser, Mr. Peter Ajayi, the Chairman thanked members and supporters of the APC, for electing candidates of the party to run the affairs of local councils for the next four years. He also called on the elected chairman and councillors to see their victory as a call to service, by making sure that they deliver their campaign promises within the time frame of their administration.

    Ajomale said the confidence the people of Lagos State have in the APC was as a result of the dividends of democracy being delivered by the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration across the entire 57 local councils. He added: “The chairmen and councilors will make the party proud by working in their respective local governments and council areas to complement the efforts of our hard working and people’s governor.”

    The chairman also seized the opportunity to reassure citizens and good people of Lagos State that the party will continue to deliver on her promises at all levels of governments.  His words: “The people of Lagos State have not regretted voting for the governorship candidate of our great party in the last general election, because he has turned out to be the best governor in the country. I hereby call on our newly-elected council officers to emulate Governor Ambode who has continued to make us proud by replicating his efforts in their council areas.”

  • Phildel College marks 3rd graduation

    Ten SS3 and 39 JSS3 pupils of Phidel College, Isheri, Lagos graduated last Thursday amid fanfare.

    The SS3 pupils are the third set of students to have successfully fulfilled the moral and academic standards of the school.

    Speaking at the graduation, Pastor Matthew Aiyedun counseled the graduands to always put God first in their endeavours so as to achieve their goals with ease.

    He also urged them to continue to work hard as they move to the next phase of their career.

    Mrs Grace Kolagbade, a teacher, expressed her delight over the performance of the students in their external exams.

    She also emphasized that the school has done so much to mould the graduands to become better people in life.

    She also urged the graduands to remained focused and carry on with the values the school has imbibed in them over the years as they face the real world.

    She said: “My message for them is that they should not throw away or forsake the sound teachings that they had there and they should continue to hold on to it for the rest of their lives.

    “They should also focus and not allow distractions to set in for them and when they get into the real they should try as much as possible to be a good ambassador of Phidel College.”

    The school choir also presented song renditions to add spice to the ceremony as they encourage the graduands.

    Special awards were given to outstanding pupils were awarded who performed excellently in their departments. They are: overall best pupil in sciences, Evbuomwan Peace; overall best pupil in commercial Okoro Chukwudi; and overall best pupil in arts sowemimo Mariam, and others.

     

  • Chinese consulate donates borehole to UNILAG

    In furtherance of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Nigeria, the Chinese Consulate in Lagos has donated an industrial borehole to the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

    The project, which was executed under the framework of ‘China-Africa People-to-People Friendship Action’, was handed over to the university by the Consul General of China (CGC) in Lagos, His Excellency, Mr. Chao Xiaoliang.

    Xiaoliang said the project, which is located within the Faculty of Education, was meant to enhance water supply on campus and make the university environment more conducive for teaching and learning

    He explained that the ‘China-Africa People-to-People Friendship Action’ is aimed at fostering better relations between Chinese companies and their host countries.

    He said the Consulate, which opened 34 years ago, has been paying attention to public sector needs as its CSR in Nigeria.

    He said: “CGC began operation in Nigeria 34 years ago, that is 1983. Ever since then, we rapidly grew into business including consultancy, investment, infrastructure, logistics and trading with its footprints across the world.

    “We pay a lot of attention to public activities as our CSR in Nigeria such as yearly donation of material and food, combating flood and disaster, supporting development of communities in several states in Nigeria.

    “We decided to donate this borehole as soon as we realised that lack of potable water in the campus of   UNILAG. Now, we fulfill this CSR by completing this project with good quality. We hope it will be an effective way to abate the shortage of potable water here.”

    He also pledged that the Consulate would continue to identify with the development of the university. “We hope to learn from your successful experience and strengthen cooperation with you, and also take part in the development of this university together with you, because we believe that friendship and cooperation will empower development,” he added.

    The highpoint of the event was the presentation of the ‘China-Africa People-to-People Friendship Action’ plaque to the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Rahamon A. Bello.

    In his response, Bello appreciated the Consulate for selecting the institution to benefit from its CSR programme, assuring that the university would make good use of the facility.

    He, however, stressed that the infrastructural needs of the university were largely unsatisfied and appealed to other consulates and corporate organisations in the country to emulate the Chinese Consulate General in Lagos and come to the aid of the institution, adding that government cannot do it alone.

  • Ambode confident Lagos can generate 3,000MW

    Ambode confident Lagos can generate 3,000MW

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday expressed optimism that the state’s reforms targeting 3,000 megawatts (MW) of power in the next few years is achievable.

    The governor spoke at the opening of the seventh annual public lecture of the Lagos State Public Service Chapter (LSPSC) of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) with the theme: Lagos@50: Unlocking Its Economic Potentials For Sustainable Development.

    The governor said he was confident that the initiative would go a long way in scaling up the state’s economy and make life more comfortable for the residents.

    He noted that sufficient power supply is a key factor to unlock the economic potentials of the state.

    Ambode said the sector remained strategic in reducing the cost of doing business and improving the living condition of Lagos residents.

    The governor noted that the theme for the lecture was in line with the resolve of his administration to identify, explore and exploit the untapped potentials of the Lagos economy.

    According to him, this is why the state government adopted the approach of strategic, innovative and long-term thinking and planning.

    Ambode added that the state has a high population growth of 3.2 per cent annually, high immigration rate estimated to be one of the highest in the world and rapid urbanisation.

    The governor said the state government was not oblivious of the fact that the most effective and efficient way to unlock the economic potentials of Lagos is to open up the economy for private enterprise to thrive.

    He said this was why his administration had been delivering first-class infrastructure and putting in place the right policies to ensure business-friendly environment.

     

     

    Ambode said the ongoing projects at the Eastern and Western axis of the state as well as the Lagos Marina and Onikan were part of his administration’s plan to unlock the tourism, entertainment and arts potentials of the state which he said were also critical.

    He said: “Lagos State is also actively involved in the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN), a body comprising all the Southwestern states. Through DAWN and other platforms, we are working on a collaborative development plan, a regional economic integration which will help to minimise some of our current challenges, such as high immigration, infrastructure deficit and traffic congestion.”

     

     

    Besides regional collaboration, Ambode said his administration had also entered into several partnerships – locally and internationally.

    The governor said the Lake Rice project, which has been very successful, was being taken to a new level with the establishment of value chain for agricultural commodities, such as rice, groundnut, pepper, among others.

    He said the government alone could not implement all the reforms, adding that accountants in the state’s public service should see themselves as key stakeholders in bringing about the desired outcome.

    Ambode urged them to be the best in their endeavours and help to strengthen the financial base of the state to facilitate the execution of infrastructural projects vital to the state’s economic growth and development.

    ICAN President Isma’ila Zakari described Lagos State as a typical example of sustainable development in Nigeria.

    He said it was important for other states to learn from the Lagos experience and apply same to address their challenges.

    Zakari, who was represented by Dr Innocent Okwuosa, said: “Lagos is a shining example in Nigeria. If every other state in Nigeria follows what Lagos is doing, perhaps all the issues confronting us as a nation would have been resolved. Lagos has got human capital and good leadership exemplified by the accountant at the helm of affairs in the state.

    “Sustainable development is inclusive development and that is what Lagos is doing.”

    He assured that the deliberations at the lecture would be properly documented and put into consideration by ICAN’s Council.

     

     

  • Kidnapped Lagos school kids back soon, says Osinbajo

    Kidnapped Lagos school kids back soon, says Osinbajo

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday assured parents and guardians of the kidnapped Lagos school kids of their safe return.

    He told reporters on the sideline of 60th birthday thanksgiving service of Pastor Salami Ololade in Lagos that the Federal Government was collaborating with the state’s authorities to ensure their safe return.

    On May 25, six boys of Model College, Igbonla, Epe, were abducted by gunmen. In the same school, six staff members and four students were kidnapped in October 2016.

    The acting president acknowledged that the parents must be going through trauma over the abduction of the children, but said “there should be no doubt at all about the commitment of government in the matter.

    “I don’t know how many times the governor has spoken to me about this and the Inspector-General of Police, the Commissioner of Police, the DSS and even the Armed Forces.

    “I am sure these children will return as quickly as possible; so, we look forward to their return,’’ he said.

    Osinbajo advised children on holidays to learn something new outside academics, saying “because it is a long holiday, it is a great time to do something new.

    “Those who like to learn a skill, whatever skill that may be, should learn it. I wished that when I was growing up I learned even carpentry’’.

    He said children could learn something new that would impact on their lives and their communities in new fields of technology.

  • Lagos to celebrate Suya carnival

    Lagos to celebrate Suya carnival

    As part of activities to mark the Lagos at 50 celebrations, Suya Stops, in partnership with the Lagos State Government, will be putting together a first-of-its-kind, Lagos City Suya Carnival.

    Slated for October 1, the founder of Syua Stops, Kehinde Talabi said that the idea was borne out of the need to celebrate Africa, Nigeria and especially Lagos using one of the chops that has become a household name across the metropolis over several years.

    “Suya as we all know didn’t originate from Lagos but you will all agree with me that the average Lagos Street or road has one Suya joint or one close by. Such is the love we have shown this delicacy that has seemingly become part and parcel of Lagos,” he said.

    As part of the activities for the carnival, he will be making a 50ft long Suya steak and breaking record hence putting Lagos state as a whole on the world map isn’t a bad way to launch the event of this magnitude.

    “Basically, the idea is to have a carnival where Suya centres will flood the carnival area with different array and recipes of Suya to savour all through the carnival. From beef suya to chicken suya, Gizzard Suya and even sausage suya. All these will be on display at the carnival,” he added.

    Other highlight of the event, he said, will include games, music, jamboree, drinks as well as networking.

    The carnival is also supported by Superflux and Bitflux companies.