Five persons have been confirmed dead and 11 others injured in two separate accidents in Lagos on Tuesday.
The accidents which occurred at the Agege and Epe areas of the state, claimed two and three lives respectively.
It was gathered that the two victims of the Agege mishap were ‘hangers on’ of a train which crushed a truck that had brake failure and entered the railway on Monday evening.
While the driver of the truck was said to have escaped, two of the three “ticketless’ passengers on the train died on the spot, while the third person sustained serious injuries and was rushed to the General Hospital at Ikeja.
Similarly, the Epe accident which claimed three lives and injured 10 persons occurred after a 13-seater passenger bus marked AAA868XJ, belonging to Young Shall Grow Motors, hit a truck carrying a caterpillar.
Confirming the incidents, both the Lagos State Fire Service Director, Rasaq Fadipe and the southwest spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ibrahim Farinloye said the injured were taken to the Epe General Hospital for treatment.
They stated that all the deceaseds in both accidents were men, adding that their remains have been deposited at the morgues.
The duo explained that the victims were trapped underneath the heavy duty vehicle and it took time before rescue workers could evacuate them.
According to Fadipe, the caterpillar was wider than the road, and the bus in a bd to overtake the truck, hit the caterpillar resulting in the mishap.
On the train mishap, Farinloye said: “The truck broke a barricade of railway crossing iron bars and entered the train track. The driver of the truck managed to escape but two ticketless passengers who hung on the train died, while the third one sustained injuries and was rushed to the general hospital.”
Tag: lagos
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Five die, six injured in two Lagos accidents
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Ambode seeks disbandment of presidential task force
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Tuesday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to disband the Presidential Task force Implementation Committee on the alienation of Federal Government Landed Properties.
In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna, the Governor said members of the Task Force are carrying out duties inimical to the interest of the State and Federal Government in Lagos.
The Governor’s call is coming on the heels of several petitions lamenting the nefarious and reprehensible activities of the Presidential Task Force on the alienation of Federal Government Landed Properties in Lagos.
According to him, the Task Force, whose existence and legality was still in doubt have unlawfully embarked on a brazen seizure, take over and appropriation of state and federal government properties.
He said the activities of the Task Force has left in its wake a near total destruction, displacement, stoppage including unprovoked mass harassment, intimidation, molestation and denial of the original owners of the land and properties.
Governor Ambode expressed concern that the activities of the Task Force is coming despite their knowledge of an existence of a consent judgment duly entered into by the same committee and some of the petitioners on one hand and an order of Interlocutory Injunction granted by the High Court of Lagos State, with the restraining orders widely published in newspapers.
The Governor therefore called on President Buhari to immediately disband the Task Force, so as to forestall a breakdown of law and order, stressing that their activities presently constitutes a security risk in the state.
It would be recalled that the committee began its operations during the era of the Jonathan administration.
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Lagos tackles sexual, gender-based violence
•Response team treats 50 cases
Lagos State has promised to tackle sexual and gender-based crimes.
The government, in a statement issued yesterday by the Coordinator, Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT), Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, enjoined victims of such violence to speak out.
The statement restated the government’s readiness to fight such cases and ensure justice is served.
The DSVRT was inaugurated in September 2014 as a response to the increase in incidents of rape, defilement, domestic violence, child abuse, neglect and maltreatment.
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode last month met with the team and urged members to increase victims’ safety and offenders’ responsibility by “providing a cross-jurisdictional response that is uniform in approach in the way sexual and gender-based violence cases are handled”.
Following the governor’s advice, Mrs. Vivour-Adeniyi said in the past one month alone, the team had attended to about 50 cases.
Of these cases, 30 were victims of domestic violence, she said, adding that the team was also monitoring over 20 cases.
They include cases of child abuse, defilement and rape with key evidential medical and police reports.
The cases exclude those the Directorate of Public Prosecutions is prosecuting at the High Court.
“In terms of advocacy, DSVRT has trained over 800 mandated reporters, who are state government employees that have dealings with children on how to detect signs of child abuse and steps to take in reporting such cases.
“Furthermore, over 2,000 school children have been empowered through our rape prevention workshops on how to avoid being a victim of sexual abuse, self-defence and how to preserve evidence when physically or sexually assaulted,” Mrs. Vivour-Adeniyi said.
The DSVRT comprises top level representatives of the police, Directorate of Public Prosecutions, Office of the Public Defender, the Directorate of Citizens’ Rights, Office of Youth and Social Development, Ministries of Women Affairs & Poverty Alleviation, Health and Education, Civil Society Organisations and the media.
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Many Boko Haram suspects arrested in Lagos, says Army chief
•New GOC takes over at 81 Division
Former General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division Maj.-Gen. Tanmi Dibi yesterday revealed that many Boko Haram suspects were arrested in Lagos State in the last 18 months.
He spoke in an interview with reporters after officially handing over to a new GOC, Maj.-Gen. Isibor Edet.
Maj.-Gen. Dibi, who refused to give further details on the arrests, warned the division’s officers and men to always remember that they are actively involved in the war against insurgents.
He said: “Military job is a challenging task and Lagos State itself is a peculiar state. We have had our challenging times, but we were able to overcome them.
“Under my watch, we were able to prevent the incursion of Boko Haram insurgents into Lagos. A good number of them were arrested here in Lagos.
“Having served for 35 years and retiring now, I expect to see a more disciplined and committed army.”
The Army chief, who addressed personnel of the division both at its headquartres and at the 65 Battalion parade ground, retires from service this week.
He urged the officers and men to be committed to their duties.
Maj.-Gen. Dibi noted that although the division had been able to contain the excesses of the insurgents in its area of responsibility, army personnel must not relapse in ensuring the area remains safe.
He said: “You are all aware of the challenges we are going through – the problem of Boko Haram. The fact that you are not in the Northeast does not mean you are not fighting the war.
“We are all involved in the war because wars of this nature do not have a front or a rear. So far, we are winning the war and I want you to do more.
“And so far so good, we have been able to contain their excesses and I want you to do more. We have talked enough about security measures put in place, about your own personal security and that of your families and that of the barracks and how you relate with your friends, but I urge you to do more.
“Be more vigilant and ensure security of your environment and your barracks. I do not want to be in my village to hear about any careless death. I do not want to read about an attack in Lagos.”
He added: “I want to hear that this division I am leaving is the most efficient division in the Nigeria army. I give God the glory for making it possible to serve Nigeria for 35 years and retiring today. I also thank all of you for supporting me. Some of you have done so well by co-operating, some of you lagged behind.
“For those lagging behind, please change your attitude towards work, be more dedicated because you do not have any other job than this job, neither do you have any other army.
“The army is a voluntary organisation, which you decided to join. Nobody forced you to join. Therefore, do not allow any to force you do your job.”
Describing his successor as an embodiment of knowledge, intelligence and discipline, Maj.-Gen. Dibi admonished personnel to accord him all loyalty and respect so that the division can succeed.
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Lagos seals six firms for N6.2m tax evasion
The Lagos Inland Revenue Service (LIRS) has sealed six firms for failing to remit N6.197 million Personal Income Tax of their workers to the state government.
Mrs Ajibike Oshodi-Sholola, Head of the Distain Unit of LIRS, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, that the companies were sealed during a state-wide tax law enforcement exercise
Oshodi-Sholola, who led the enforcement team, said that the affected companies’ tax liabilities were between 12 months and four years.
Oshodi-Sholola said most corporate organisations usually evade the remittance of the previous year’s tax only to remit taxes of current years, adding that the six companies’ tax debts were basically for 2011 tax-audit year.
According to her, some companies think that jumping the previous years’ tax to pay off the current year tax will make the LIRS exempt them from paying the outstanding debts.
“It is very wrong to overlook tax payment of any certain year and a misconception to think that government will forfeit tax payment of any registered organisation in the state.
“Despite how long the tax of an organisation has lingered, the truth remains that the government will someday come for it,” she said.
The team leader noted that the enforcement would continue until Nigerians imbibed the culture of voluntary tax compliance, adding that tax evasion was a criminal act.
According to her, the companies that were affected by the recent tax enforcement include; pharmaceutical companies, a security management company, paint manufacturing firms and a media company.
Oshodi-Sholola urged companies operating in the state to ensure that their tax files and documents are always up-to-date to avoid been shut by the LIRS.
She said the poor administration and compliance to taxation system had resulted to low generation of revenue from tax.
According to her, the poor taxation system was responsible for the poor maintenance of the nations’ infrastructures.
“In western countries where everything is taxable, tax is government’s key source of income. The government can still streamline Nigerian taxation system to make it more rewarding.
“I believe that effective taxation will boost government’s revenue and that is the only way the nation’s infrastructures can be maintained and sustained,” she added.
Meanwhile, some of the affected companies complained of not being given notification by the state government before coming to shut down their firms.
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Lagos, electricity firms seek special court for power thieves
The Ikeja Electric (for merly Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC), Eko Electric Distribution Company (EKEDC) and the Lagos State government are holding talks on how to ensure that a special court for electricity equipment thieves and vandals is established, The Nation gathered at the weekend.
The discussion, which started months ago, involves the management of the two firms and Justice Ayotunde Phillips, the Chief Judge of Lagos State.
The parties were said to have examined the procedures for convicting people, who indulge in such practices, and fashion out ways on how those concerned do not circumvent justice.
EKEDC spokesman, Godwin Idemudia, confirmed the development, saying the two electricity distributions companies (DISCOs) and the Chief Judge have been meeting to ensure that a special court was set up to jail people found guilty of stealing cables, meters, or vandalise transformers, sub-stations, and other equipment.
Ihemudia said people were arrested for such crimes in areas under the jurisdiction of Eko DISCO last year, adding that many of them have been convicted by the courts.
He said: ‘’The Ikeja and Eko DISCOS are involved in a discussions with the Chief Judge of Lagos State facilitated to establish a special court and further rid the state of electricity-related crimes. We have recorded several cases of thefts and vandalism in the past. We are still recording them. Properties worth several millions of naira belonging to Eko Electricity firm have been tampered with ditto Ikeja Electric. This informed our decision to try and find a lasting solution to the issue.’’
According to him, some people were jailed for committing the crime last year, while others are serving other forms of punishment, depending on the gravity of their offences.
He said the firms want to put an end to anything called stealing and vandalism, hence the decision to moot the idea of a special court.
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Lagos ready for foreign investors, says Ambode
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening trade relationship with Indian investors.
He spoke while receiving Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Ajjanpor Ghanashyam in his office in Ikeja.
The governor, spoke of his administration’s determination to further strengthen the trade with the country, adding that he has created an Office of the Overseas Affairs and Investment, which is under his supervision, to make the state more investor-friendly.
He said: “We have established the Office of Overseas Affairs and Investment, so that we can strengthen bi-lateral relationship. We need more investors to invest in Lagos so that we can create employment and grow our GDP. Whatever it is you think we can do to increase investors from India, we are ready for discussion.”
The governor expressed his appreciation to the visitors, saying that Lagos could draw inspiration from India as a modern democracy and from the way the economy was conducted despite its huge population.
He assured the High Commissioner that the state is ready to expand its frontiers to accommodate investors willing to set up their businesses in the state.
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Police foil kidnap of Indian in Lagos, nab suspect
The police said that they foiled an attempt yesterday in Ikorodu, Lagos State, to kidnap an Indian.
A suspect was arrested in connection with the crime.
The state command’s spokesperson, DSP Patricia Amadin, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that an employee of a metal company in the town and others still at large were in involved in the alleged plot.
She said the Divisional Police Officer at Sagamu Road Station in Ikorodu got a tip-off of the kidnap and swung into action.
“A man simply identified as Timothy, 35, an old employee of the company, had planned with three other men to kidnap an Indian national working in the company in order to demand a ransom from the company.
“Immediately the report was received, the DPO swung into action and began investigations to get the details.
“On Aug. 6, police detectives from the station visited the company and Timothy was arrested.”
Amadin said the suspect had made some useful statements to the police on the kidnap bid.
The spokesperson said a man-hunt had been launched for the fleeing members of the gang.
