Tag: Nigerian news

Residents of some parts of Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, have vacated their homes following incessant attacks and harassments by hoodlums suspected to be cultists.

Areas mostly affected, according to investigations by our correspondent, are School Road, Itu Road, Ikot Ekang, Church Road, Nelson Mandela Street, Ikot Ndem Street, Udoette Street among others.

The areas are within the axis of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO) and the Uyo City Polytechnic, a private tertiary institution.

Residents of these areas live in morbid fear due to the deadly operations of suspected cultists who invade houses and shops with guns, machetes and other weapons.

A source, who pleaded anonymity, said: “These boys who are members of various confraternities carry out their operations anytime it pleases them. Sometimes,they divided themselves to different directions for them to be faster.

Read Also: Four Delta communities turn to battlegrounds for cultists

”Their major operations are entering people’s shops collecting phones, money, drinks and others valuable items. This happens in almost all the areas I have mentioned especially in Itu and School roads’’, he said.

A shop owner at School Road told The Nation she used to stay in her shop up till 10pm or 11pm to do business but can no longer that due to frequent attacks by cultists.

‘’I used to keep my shop open to customers till 10pm or 11pm but i close early these days for fear of being robbed or killed by these bad boys.

‘’Many people who own shops around here now close. I have personally been robbed four times since i opened this shop. Some of us have ran away because we don’t want to be killed.

‘’There was a lawyer who owned a house in this area. His name is Barrister Umoh and we learnt he is the state director public prosecutions in the Ministry of Justice. He has ran away and abandoned his house because of these cultists.

‘’Right now there is this information we got that the barrister is planning to sell his house. But who will be bold enough to buy such a house in an area that is not secure, she queried.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Odiko MacDon DSP, said the police were aware of the situation and have beefed up security around the University of Uyo and its environs.

‘’We are trying our best to handle the situation but we urge residents of the affected areas to provide us with information that will help us fish out these hoodlums,” he said.

Ogun State Government has organised free medical outreach for the people of Ilaro in fulfilment of its promise to provide effective health care delivery to the citizens.

Governor Dapo Abiodun, while addressing the crowd who came out for the free medical test at Yewa Empire Ground, Ilaro, said ensuring good health of the citizens was paramount to his administration, adding that the programme was the third phase, as it had been conducted in Odeda and Ilisan-Remo.

Represented by his deputy, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, the governor said the people’s welfare was very fundamental, which informed the free health care delivery initiative.

“It is very important for us to know our health status, as health is wealth. This medical outreach is meant to educate us more on the state of our health, to advise us on what to eat, when to rest and what steps to take when we notice any symptoms in our body system.

Read Also: Abiodun gives free land to 2,000 farmers 

“There is a disease called hepatitis, which is most common now. We have launched the sensitisation and conducted a test in Ota. Very soon, it will be brought to Ilaro so that our people can get tested to know their status,” he said

The governor added that besides the free medical outreach, the government had inspected some roads in Ilaro.

He said work would soon begin on some of the roads to enhance free flow of vehicular movement.

The Olu of Ilaro and paramount ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, who was represented by Chief Emmanuel Adeboye Sanu, praised the government for the kind gesture, saying money without sound health is nothing.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Sade Adebanjo, commended the governor for fulfilling his electoral promises.

The Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran and Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, have hailed Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola for building and sustaining the good legacies of the former administration.

The duo expressed satisfaction about the spate of development the state had witnessed in the last nine months of Oyetola’s administration.

The leader of Afenifere socio-political group, Senator Ayorinde Fasanmi, has acknowledged the leadership trait exhibited by the governor in administering the state.

The encomiums were bestowed on the governor during the Celebratory Banquet organised  by the state government in honour of Oyetola and the former governor, who is now the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, at the Government House, Osogbo.

Oba Aromolaran described as “worthwhile”, the consolidation approach of the present administration, which, according to him, had ensured the continuity of good governance and meaningful development.

Read Also: Oyetola and the policy of all-inclusive governance

He described the emergence of Governor Oyetola at the poll and his subsequent victory at the Supreme Court as divine, saying God installed Oyetola to consolidate on the good legacies of the former administration.

While commending the good work Aregbesola did in the eight years of his administration, the revered monarch said his joy was in the fact that the incumbent government is following the same path of good governance.

The traditional ruler implored Oyetola not to relent in his efforts at taking the state to greater heights.

The Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, praised the achievements of the progressive government in the last eight and a half years.

He commended the government for developing the capital, saying Osogbo people would continue to appreciate the good work done to turn around the socio-economic fortunes of the town.

Senator Fasanmi, who described Oyetola as a transformer, hailed the governor for being passionate and aggressive towards advancing the economy of the state.

The veteran politician, who advised the governor not to lose track but remain focused in his commitment to turn the socio-economic fortunes of the state around, told him to be magnanimous since the will of God has manifested in his life.

Ogun State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun has assured residents of Adigbe-Opako and its environs in Abeokuta that the bridge linking the two communities will be completed within the week.

Abiodun, who spoke while inspecting the project, said it would have been completed by now, but for some necessary modifications done for the bridge, to carry large volume of water during heavy rain.

“We had to make some adjustments to the original design to accommodate large volume of water when there is heavy rain. The work done here before was not enough to stop flood. We believe with what is being done, the problem of perennial flooding in this area will be a thing of the past.

Read Also: Abiodun flags off free medical services in Ogun

”I want to assure our people that we will do a thorough job and the flooding problem will become a thing of the past. By God’s grace, this bridge will be ready before our children resume school,” the governor said.

Urging the people to be patient for a thorough job, he advised them to support his administration to serve them better.

A resident, Mrs. Elizabeth Ajibade, called on those executing the project to expedite action to ensure early completion.

Another resident, Bayo Shittu, said inhabitants of the area had suffered untold hardship as a result of frequent flooding.

He hailed the governor for responding to their plight.

Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has said the ancient town of Owo in Owo Local Government did not make a mistake with the choice of Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye as the new Olowo of Owo Kingdom.

Governor Akeredolu, who described Oba Ogunoye as the monarch the people of Owo have always yearned for, hailed the people for making a great choice.

He spoke at the coronation of Oba Ogunoye III, held at the Olowo’s Palace in Owo.

The governor, who said he was at the event as an indigene of the town, described the coronation as remarkable for the people of the town.

He thanked the ‘Omolowos’ and other chiefs involved in the selection of the new King and the youth for standing by their choice.

Read Also: New Olowo, Ogunoye installed

Akeredolu said: “Let us thank the Lord. I thank the ‘Omolowos’ and the chiefs involved in the selection. I thank Owo people for the peaceful exercise. I thank the youth for standing by the monarch.

“We respect the memories of our past kings. The Olagbegi first, Olagbegi second and Olagbegi the third. Also, Ogunoye first, Ogunoye second and now we have Ogunoye the third. We also respect the memory of the late Oba Ajike.  Particularly, we respect the memory of Oba Victor Folagbade Olateru-Olagbegi the III.

“Our immediate past Oba has done his best. Let me acknowledge others who contested the throne with Oba Ogunoye. Kabiyesi, please bring them together.”

The governor disclosed that it is a deliberate policy of his administration not to intervene in chieftaincy matters of any town, stressing that the people must make their choice themselves.

“We have a policy on chieftaincy. This government decided deliberately that we would not intervene in chieftaincy. Let the people make their choice. Today gives us sign that Owo has made the best decision ever.”

He assured the people that the developmental project ongoing across the state would not be limited to any area, saying it would cover the whole state.

Akeredolu urged the new Olowo to sustain the peace in the town.

The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, has nullified the election of Hon. Kolapo Osunsanya representing Ijebu Central Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

The tribunal’s Chairman, Justice Wakkil Gana, on Monday declared the election inconclusive.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Osunsanya of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the February 23 poll in the constituency.

But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the election,  Taiwo Shote, challenged the declaration before the tribunal.

Gana, in his judgement, noted that the elections were cancelled in Ward 5, Unit 5 of Ijebu Ode council area ; Ward 10 , Unit 3 in Odogbolu council area and the entire Ward 8 of Ijebu /North- East council area of the federal constituency.

Read Also: Tribunal affirms Tinubu’s election for Lagos Central

He said since the margin of lead between the petitioner, Shote, and the first respondent, Osunsanya, was less than 4,000, while the total number of cancelled votes in the affected areas was 8,800, INEC should not have declared Osunsanya the winner of the poll.

Gana held that INEC should have declared the election inconclusive and organised a rerun election in the affected areas.

He said Osunsanya was not duly elected and ordered that a rerun poll be conducted within 90 days in the affected wards and units.

Shote described the judgment as victory for the rule of law.

“I am very delighted at the judgment just delivered. I am happy that justice has been served.

“Although the wheel of justice grinds slowly, it grinds steadily and surely. It is a victory for the rule of law and the good people of the federal constituency.

“I thank God and the good people of Ijebu Federal Constituency comprising Ijebu-Ode, Ijebu/ North-East and Odogbolu local government areas for their unflinching support thus far, and I promise not to disappoint them,” he said.

Osunsanya, however, declined to comment on the judgment.