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  • Lagos-Ibadan Expressway: No cause for alarm, says FRSC

    The Lagos State Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said on Monday no motorist would suffer on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, if they obey lane discipline and diversion signs.

    The repairs of the road, which was meant to have started on August 3, had to be postponed till September 2. It is expected to last for 61 days.

    The affected road portion to be closed to traffic from Kara Bridge inward Berger and from Berger inward Kara Bridge, amounts to about 1.4 kilometres of the 127.6 kilometres.

    Both the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and its Ogun State counterpart had issued a travel advisory, detailing alternative routes that could be used by motorists.

    FRSC’s Acting Sector Public Education Officer, for the Lagos Sector, Ms Bisi Sonusi, said the command, in partnership with the FRSC Ogun Sector and other traffic control agencies, had lined up activities to mitigate motorists’ hardship on the corridor.

    Ms Sonusi said traffic inward Lagos was still a moving traffic, though heavy. Outside Lagos, she said, was free.

    FRSC’s Acting Sector Public Education Officer added some officers would work also at nights, if traffic extended to a late period.

    Read Also: Photos: Diversion on Berger axis of Lagos-Ibadan expressway

    According to her, the corps has also withdrawn officers from other component commands to join in the work.

    Apart from tow trucks, FRSC is also in partnership with local divers to assist in search and rescue in case of any accident and in case anyone drowns.

    Also, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos Mr. Adedamola Kuti as assured motorists that with the elaborate traffic management by all agencies of government, motorists should have no trouble on the road.

    Kuti, who spoke in Lagos, said the project, which began in 2013 and earlier scheduled to end in 2017, would now be completed by 2021/22, because the Muhammadu Buhari administration expanded its features.

    He listed the additional features to include underpasses, footbridges, flyovers, toll plazas and road expansion. These features, he said explained why the project is still 40 per cent completed.

    But, Oyo State government has announced that it has deployed 100 traffic managers to the Lagos-Ibadan expressway to direct traffic and make the road less congested for users during its disclosure for reconstruction.

    Executive Chairman, Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA) Dr. Akin Fagbemi stated this yesterday in Ibadan while briefing reporters on the efforts of the state administration to ease the burden of travellers using the major highway.

    The Lagos-Ibadan road has been described as the only connecting road from the seaport and the international airport in Lagos to the rest of the country and had suffered neglect in the last 10 years.

    Fagbemi said his officers would be on ground along the expressway, especially at the points where construction works would be taking place to avoid congestion and traffic snares.

    He said commuters could get in touch with the men of the agency on +2348114390097 to report any complaint or seek help on the highway within the period.

    He added that alternative routes announced for road users include Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway from Abeokuta connecting Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Sagamu-Ikorodu Road from Sagamu Interchange to Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

    Others include Ijebu-Ode-Itoikin Road from Ijebu-Ode to Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

    There was heavy security presence at the Berger to Ogun River section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway yesterday as operatives of Julius Berger blocked the outward Lagos stretch of the road for rehabilitation works while making a diversion on the inward Lagos stretch, thereby causing heavy traffic build-up along the single lane.

    Area Commander Ogudu Police Command of Lagos State, ACP Miller Dantawaye, said the police have mobilised en-mass to ensure the maintenance of law and order during the rehabilitation works.

    Also on Monday, motorists plying the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway pleaded with the Lagos and Ogun state governments and others in charge of the road construction to put adequate measures in place to ensure that any broken down vehicle along the axis are towed off the roads immediately.

    This, they said, would ensure free flow of vehicular movement along the axis as broken down vehicle would make traffic worsened.

    The plea was made when The Nation visited the area. It was observed that the construction work had begun, the partitioning of the express road outward Lagos had been done to accommodate both those going out of Lagos and those coming into Lagos. When our reporter visited the area, vehicular movement in the area was thick.

    About four trucks used for the construction could be sighted and about 10 officials were seen constructing the road.

  • ‘Tinubu’s first 100 days in office my worst nightmare’

    Mr. Segun Ayobolu, a former Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Lagos State ex-governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has said the first 100 days of the administration were his worst nightmare.

    Ayobolu spoke yesterday in Ikeja, the state capital, while presenting a paper, titled: The Dynamics of Public Affairs Management.

    The occasion was the celebration of the 60th birthday and retirement from the state civil service of a former Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Folarin Adeyemi.

    The former CPS recalled the overwhelming challenges the administration confronted as it was settling down to govern the state.

    He said: “As Chief Press Secretary to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the anniversary of his 100 days in office in 1999 was one of my worst nightmares.

    “The reviews in the media were exceedingly negative and abominable. Critics after critics focused on the refuse heaps on the roads, the potholes and veritable craters on most roads, the scarcity of water, the terrible insecurity with armed robbery attacks on banks and snatching of vehicles occurring almost on a daily basis.

    Read Also: Why Lagos is magnet point for investors, by Tinubu

    “For a government, which had about three months to get ready, the first three months in office seemed to have caught it by surprise. No practical solution had been applied on any problem so far then.

    “Refuse heaps, which, like armed robbers, can neither talk nor think, challenged the wits of the governor.

    “Consider all the other areas, like housing, education, health and rural development. They were still at the blueprint level… Asiwaju Tinubu had enough time to prepare. He was even praised for taking the initiative of setting up a team to draw up an action plan.

    “His inauguration speech was excellent, showing clarity of thought and evidence of insight. But what went wrong? Could it be the fish in water syndrome which, out of water, just bobs and bobs? The future, the very near future would tell.”

    Ayobolu told the gathering comprising three ex-commissioners for Information and Strategy, among other media practitioners and scholars.

    The former CPS said most of the critics were not bothered that the problems were the inheritance from years of military neglect and misrule and could thus not be resolved instantaneously or magically.

    Happily, he said the Tinubu administration rose to the occasion and set a standard in governance that has been difficult to beat across the country.

    Also, Adeyemi announced the setting up of a foundation, Fola Adeyemi Foundation, to train indigent journalists.

    He broke the cheery news at his 60th birthday and retirement from the state civil service.

    During the launching of his book, titled: The Dynamics of Public Information Management: Memoirs of A Veteran Public Affairs Manager, Adeyemi said the proceeds from the book would go to the National Association for Women Journalists (NAWOJ).

    The former commissioner said the foundation is his way of giving back to the society and journalism, which was instrumental to his rise and successes.

    He made an instant donation to the foundation and promised to make the gesture a yearly affair.

    Adeyemi said this would ensure that indigent journalists get the requisite training to excel in their profession.

    The foundation has representatives of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and NAWOJ on the board that will administer its fund.

  • Diezani paid $865,300 cash for jewellery, EFCC tells court

    A Federal High Court in Lagos heard on Monday that former Petroleum Resources Minister Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke allegedly paid $865,300 in cash for jewellery from a seller on Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told Justice Nicholas Oweibo that Mrs. Alison-Madueke did not acquire the items with her salary or any part of her legitimate income.

    The anti-graft agency made the claims while seeking the permanent forfeiture of the 2,149 pieces of jewellery and a customised gold iPhone valued at $40 million and recovered from her Abuja home.

    But the former minister opposed the commission’s prayer on the ground that, among others, the seizure of the items amounted to a violation of her constitutional right to own property.

    On July 5, the court ordered the temporary forfeiture of 2,149 pieces of jewellery and a customised gold iPhone recovered from Mrs. Alison-Madueke’s home.

    Read Also: Diezani again – the flamboyant female former minister wants all her bling-bling back!

    According to the EFCC, which obtained the order, the items were suspected to be bought with illicitly acquired funds. Justice Oweibo fixed Monday to hear pending motions on the matter.

    When the matter was called, prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo told the judge that it was in the best interest of justice for the jewellery and the gold iPhone to be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

    The lawyer said the court was empowered to grant such forfeiture order under Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offence Act 2006, because “the respondent’s known and provable lawful income is far less than the properties sought to be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria”.

    He supported his application with, among others, an affidavit deposed to by an EFCC investigator, Rufai Zaki.

    Zaki recalled that Mrs. Alison-Madueke was appointed Minister of Petroleum Resources on April 12, 2010.

    He said the EFCC investigations revealed that she started acquiring the jewellery in 2012 from Bukola Oyewumi of Trinket Box Bespoke Jewellery at Ikeja City Mall, Alausa, Lagos State. The investigator said the commission was in possession of details of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) account through which Mrs Alison-Madueke allegedly received her salary as a minister.

    “The respondent did not utilise her salary or any part of her legitimate income to acquire the assets sought to be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria,” Zaki said.

    The investigator averred that a “damning intelligence report” received by the EFCC led to a search on Alison-Madueke’s home at 10 Fredrick Chiluba Close, Asokoro, Abuja.

    He said the EFCC invited Oyewumi and she made a statement that she started selling jewellery to the former minister in 2012.

    According to him, Oyewumi also made available to the EFCC the invoices issued on the sale of jewellery in which ‘Aunty D’ was written as the buyer.

    Zaki said the EFCC also discovered that apart from Oyewumi, Mrs. Alison-Madueke also bought jewellery from Minal Ratanani of Bella Vista Apartment on Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos.

    According to him, Ratanani admitted during questioning by the EFCC that Mrs Alison-Madueke bought jewellery valued at $865,300.00 from her over a period and the former minister paid cash. But Mrs. Alison-Madueke, through her counsel, Nnamdi Awa-Kalu, challenged the court’s jurisdiction to hear the suit.

    She insisted that the seizure of the items amounted to a violation of her right to property under sections 43 and 44 of the 1999 Constitution and “to appropriate them at her discretion”.

    She further contended that the anti-graft body should not have the power to barge into any Nigerian’s home, seize their property and come to court to claim that the property is illegal.

    Mrs. Alison-Madueke, who is said to be under investigation in the United Kingdom (UK), urged the court to reject EFCC’s prayer to permanently forfeit the jewelry and the golden iPhone to the government.

    The former minister contended that the court lacked jurisdiction to grant the interim forfeiture order, besides the EFCC did not charge her with any crime or serve her with any summons.

    Following the conclusion of the hearing, Justice Oweibo adjourned till September 10, 2019 for ruling.

    According to a schedule attached to the application, the jewelry, categorised into 33 sets, include “419 expensive bangles and 315 expensive rings”.

    Others are: 304 expensive earrings, 267 expensive necklaces, 189 expensive wristwatches and 174 expensive necklaces and earrings.

    The rest are: 78 expensive bracelets, 77 expensive brooches and 74 expensive pendants.

  • Forum seeks support for Okumagba as NDDC head

    The United Front for Niger Delta (UFFND) has hailed the appointment of a former Delta State Commissioner for Finance, Bernard Okumagba, as managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), saying Okumagba’s appointment is in order.

    A statement by its President, Yede Gerke, congratulated Okumagba, saying he would not disappoint the people.

    Gerke, who described the appointment as well deserved, said Okumagba was tested and trusted and had distinguished himself in private and public life.

    Read Also: APC flays Niger Delta governors for NDDC Board’s rejection

    The statement reads: “We thank President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing Olorogun Bernard Okumagba, a renowned technocrat, as the managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). The President did not make a mistake in his choice as Okumagba is very capable and will bring his wealth of experience to bear in the discharge of his duty.

    “We want to make it clear here that it is the turn of Delta State to produce the managing director of the commission, and the President did the right thing by picking the managing director from Delta State. Those opposing the appointment should support Okumagba to chart a new path for the region’s development.

    “Olorogun Bernard Okumagba knows the pains of the people and he is more than qualified for the position of the managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission.”

  • Chieftaincy row: Ibadan elevated monarchs drop crowns

    The 21 monarchs in Ibadanland appeared to have dropped their crowns in a move seen as surrendering to the supremacy of Olubadan of Ibadan land Oba Saliu Adetunji.

    It followed the monarchs’ appearance on Monday as part of the entourage of the Olubadan to the ongoing Southwest security summit at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan (UI).

    The joint public appearance came two years after the monarchs and the Olubadan went their separate ways, following the crowning of members of the Olubadan-In-Council in 2017 by former Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

    The monarchs had boycotted the palace since their crowning due to the Olubadan’s opposition to their elevation.

    The Olubadan argued that the state government has no right to independently elevate his chiefs.

    Read Also: Insecurity: IGP, S/West govs, leaders meet in Ibadan today

    Though both parties indicated their willingness to reconcile while the crisis lasted, the Olubadan insisted that the only condition for reconciliation was for the elevated high chiefs to drop their crowns and wait for their time to ascend the throne of the Olubadan as is the custom.

    But the elevated high chiefs also stood their ground, stressing that their crowning was already gazetted by the state government.

    The appearance of the obas at the security summit yesterday, however, indicated that they have surrendered to the tough stance of the Olubadan as they wore only common caps as they sat two lines behind the Olubadan as members of his entourage.

    Monday’s outing might be a silent indication that the royal rumble in the Olubadan palace has come to an end without fanfare.

    On the entourage yesterday are Otun Olubadan High Chief Lekan Balogun; Asipa Olubadan High Chief Eddy Oyewole; Balogun Olubadan High Chief Owolabi Olakulehin; Asipa Balogun High Chief Lateef Gbadamosi Adebimpe; Ekarun Olubadan High Chief Amidu Ajibade and Ekarun Balogun High Chief Adegbola.

    At the meeting are also Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; Olugbo of Ugbo land Oba Frederick Akinruntan; Oba of Lagos

    Rilwan Akiolu and a host of other traditional rulers.

    Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde hailed the reconciliation between the Olubadan and his high chiefs.

    He gave the commendation during his welcome speech at the ongoing security meeting.

    Sighting the high chiefs without their crowns in their attendance with the Olubadan,Makinde said: “In the entourage of the Olubadan, I can see the high chiefs. I think it is a positive development in Oyo State. We are talking about security here; and I think it is part of what will help overall security of the society.”

    Ekiti State Governor Olurotimi Akeredolu, who was represented by his deputy, Agboola Ajayi, also described the reconciliation as a good development.

  • Lawmaker seeks federal help on roads

    The lawmaker representing Anambra West in the Anambra State House of Assembly, Patrick Udoba, has appealed to the Federal Government to repair dilapidated roads in the state.

    Udoba, who chairs the House Committee on Transportation, lamented that lives were lost daily from accidents.

    Read Also: Traders lament bad road, environment at Ojuwoye market

    The lawmaker, who addressed reporters yesterday, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to rehabilitate and complete bad roads to save the people from hardship.

    He listed some roads:  Enugu-Awka-Onitsha Expressway; Onitsha/Owerri Road; Umuoji/Onitsha Road; Onitsha to Aghamelum, Oromaetiti to Kogi Roads, among others.

  • Robbers attack The Nation driver near soldiers’ checkpoint

    Armed robbers on Monday attacked The Nation driver, Mr. Akinyele Adebayo, at Moro junction, near Ile-Ife in Osun State.

    He was attacked around 12pm while returning to Lagos from Ado-Ekiti in Ekiti State.

    The incident, Adebayo said, occurred a few metres to a military checkpoint.

    He wondered why the military personnel, who mounted roadblock nearby, allowed the robbers to operate freely.

    “I suspect connivance between the military personnel and the robbers. The place the soldiers mounted a roadblock is not up to two minutes’ drive to where the robbers operated freely,” Adebayo said.

    The robbers, he said, used cattle as a decoy to attack drivers.

    Read Also: Suspected robbers cart away valuables in Oyo schools

    “There were cattle on the side of the road. I slowed down and on getting towards the place, the three robbers used their motorcycles to block the road. Before I could get to them, they came down and brought out sticks and cutlasses. So I tried to manoeuvre my car so as to go, but before I could, they broke my side mirror,  windscreen and damaged the bonnet. I didn’t stop; all I just wanted to do was to escape from them because I know that is where they rob people.

    “When I got to the front, I discovered that the road had been blocked with tyres and big sticks and some people were there, but they were not in uniform. They were about five. I looked back and saw the three men coming with their motorcycles.  They met me there and ordered me to stop and open the door.

    “I just managed to climb the tyres and sticks and drove away. Within the next two minutes, I got to another place where some soldiers mounted a roadblock. They just checked my vehicle and allowed me to go. I didn’t bother to make a report to them because I sensed that they might be working together. Other drivers have been saying they are working together. So if they could pursue me to the first roadblock, I also believe that they can pursue me even to where the soldiers are,” Adebayo said.

    He said the experience was his first since driving on that road.

    The driver said the robbers spoke English and Yoruba languages.

    “I don’t think they are herdsmen or people from the North. They just used the cattle as a decoy. They spoke in English and some also spoke Yoruba fluently,” he said.

    He appealed to the government to draft policemen to monitor the road, putting the cost of damage done to his vehicle at N50,000.

  • APC knows fate today as court rules on primaries

    The Court of Appeal has reserved ruling on the order of a Sagbama High Court in Yenagoa stopping the All Progressives Congress (APC) from holding its Bayelsa State governorship primary elections using the direct method.

    The Publicity Secretary, Doifie Buokoribo, confirmed that ruling on the matter had been reserved for today.

    The APC has been battling to vacate the order which distorted its schedules for the primary poll. It shifted the primaries from August 29 to 31 citing logistic issues, but further postponed it indefinitely following the order stopping the planned use of direct method in conducting the internal poll.

    An electoral committee headed by the Yobe State Governor, Mai-Mala Buni as Returning Officer, was already in Yenagoa at the weekend to conduct the primaries but decided otherwise after waiting in vain for a vacation of the order on Friday.

    Read Also: Tension as PDP elects governorship candidate in Bayelsa

    But a party source said everything was being done to vacate the order.

    He said: “Everything is in motion to vacate the order on Monday (yesterday) or today. Surely the order will be vacated. We would have gone ahead to hold the primaries because based on the Electoral Act that injunction is illegal.

    “Section 87(10) of the Electoral Act 2010, as amended, provides that nothing in this section shall empower the courts to stop the holding of primaries or general election or the thereof under this Act pending the determination of a suit.

    “But the party doesn’t want any legal impediments to its primaries. It is only reasonable to counter the order since there is still time to do so. All we know is that the order will be voided and the primaries will be conducted within the stipulated time.”

    Announcing the postponement, Secretary of the Electoral Committee, Senator Emmanuel Ocheja, described the APC as a law-abiding party with respect for its constitution and the laws of the land.

    He said in a statement: “The APC is aware of conflicting orders from courts of equal jurisdiction on the Bayelsa governorship primary election. As a result of these conflicting orders, and following a meeting that Governor Mai-Mala Buni had with the aspirants and party stakeholders, it was resolved that the primary election should be postponed until the committee headed by the governor receives clear direction from the party headquarters on the matter.”

  • 10 die in Anambra accident

    Ten persons died and many were injured in an accident near Agulu Lake in Aniocha Local Government of Anambra State.

    Governor Willie Obiano, who visited the scene, promised to foot the bills of the injured.

    He promised to put barricades on the road to prevent a recurrence.

    The accident involved a truck (XB 238 MBA) loaded with metal objects.

    Read Also: 17 die in Kwara auto accident

    An eyewitness said the truck’s brake failed and collided with four other vehicles.

    The governor also visited St. Joseph’s Hospital, Adazi Nnukwu, where about 10 injured persons were being treated. He directed that speed breakers be built on the roads to check a recurrence.

    Obiano sympathised with the bereaved families, and directed that the injured be taken to the teaching hospital in Amaku, Awk, for proper medical attention.

  • Wike seeks federal, state partnership against oil theft

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has called on the Federal Government to partner  states to fight oil theft. Wike reiterated that oil bunkering has continued to worsen because of the participation of security agencies.

    A statement by the governor’s media aide, Simeon Nwakaudu, said Wike spoke yesterday when a delegation of Konrad Adenauer (German Foundation)  visited him at the Government House in Port Harcourt.

    He said oil bunkering had continued to worsen because of the participation of security agencies.

    The delegation was led by Dr Vladimir Kreck,  Andreas Lammel, and Dr Joachim Pfeiffer, of the German parliament.

    Wike said: “Some of the security agencies are involved in oil theft. When you see oil bunkering, the security agencies are involved. They are fully involved.

    Read Also: Wike seeks creation of state police

    “If the Federal Government comes strongly and partner the states, we will solve some of the problems. Also, we have the problem of politicisation of security; this is unfortunate in this country.”

    The governor said the security framework of the state was negatively affected by oil majors patronising cult groups for surveillance jobs.

    He noted that the state security council was liaising with oil majors to stop the patronage of cult groups for such jobs.

    “We have told oil majors to patronise official state security agencies and stop patronising cult groups for surveillance jobs. This is because part of the problem is the oil majors’ continued patronage of cult groups,” he said.

    Wike called for collaboration with Germany and the foundation to fight insecurity.

    He sought the foundation’s partnership to attract German investors in agriculture to create jobs.

    Kreck said the visit was aimed at advancing economic development.

    He said: “We have been providing support for the democratic development of Nigeria since 2001. In Rivers State, we have been providing capacity building for lawmakers and security agencies.”

    Kreck noted that the foundation invited two German lawmakers to Nigeria to acquaint themselves with the country’s economic development programmes.

    Lammel said the main objective of the visit was to understand the economic development process and discuss oil production and development in the state.