The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian news

  • ‘How CMD was abducted in Edo’

    Details have emerged on how the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Prof. Sylvanus Okogbeni, was abducted.

    The Nation learnt that Okogbeni was kidnapped by gunmen, who blocked his car at the Ramat Park in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.

    Two policemen were killed and their guns carted away, while drivers of the two vehicles in his convoy escaped with bullet wounds.

    The two policemen were identified as Sergeants Odion Jonathan Ajibola and Etinosa Erhuegbea, both of Irrua Police Divisional Headquarters.

    Read Also: ‘Nabbed suspected kidnapper of toddlers is a specialist’  

    An eyewitness, who was controlling traffic at Ramat Park, said the attackers wore police uniforms and T-shirts.

    He said the operation lasted for about six minutes, adding that the shooting made everyone to run for safety.

    The source said the gunmen riddled the Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) of Okogbeni with bullets before taking him away in their car.

    Police sources said the two drivers in their brief said they first saw their attackers at Ehor town.

    The driver of the abducted CMD, Mr. Edewele Thadeus, said the vehicles started trailing them from a bad spot at Ehor town, but they didn’t realise that the occupants had criminal motives.

    He said the CMD was on his way to catch an Abuja bound flight where he was expected to attend a conference.

    Police spokesman Chidi Nwabuzor said information about the incident was still sketchy, “but the command has begun investigation.”

  • Teenager killed at ex-Speaker’s home

    Gunmen have shot dead a 20-year-old man, Aondowase Tagher, at the Northbank home of the first Speaker of Benue State House of Assembly, the late Him Ayua Num, in Makurdi.

    The Nation learnt that the incident occurred on Sunday night.

    The hoodlums, about 30, reportedly stormed the Federal Low Cost Housing Unit Northbank home of the late Speaker at about 10:30pm.

    Narrating the incident, the son of the late Speaker, Mr. Cosmos Num, told The Nation that he was sleeping in his house at a different location within the Federal Housing Low Cost Housing Estate when he was called on the phone that gunmen had invaded his father’s house.

    Read Also: Death toll in attacks on Benue communities hits nine

    Num said the incident shocked him, adding that his mother, Mrs. Patricia Àyua Num, narrowly escaped death, as the gunmen shot directly on the window side of her bedroom, but the bullets missed target.

    He said the incident was an attempt to kill his mother.

    Num urged security agencies to fish out the killers of his cousin and bring them to book, to act as a deterrent to others.

    Police spokesperson Kate Sewuese Anene confirmed the incident.

    She said investigation has begun.

  • Housewife ‘kills’ husband to remarry ex-hubby

    A housewife in Bagudo Local Government Area of Kebbi State has allegedly killed her husband so that she can remarry her former husband.

    The police said the housewife, whose name was given as Auta Dogo Singe, conspired with Garba Hassan and Sahabi Garba at Sabon Gari village, Illo district area of Bagudo to kill her husband, Abdullahi Shaho, to enable her remarry her former husband.

    Briefing reporters on Tuesday at the command headquarters in Birnin Kebbi, Police Commissioner Garba Muhammed Danjuma said the woman’s ex-husband was Idris Garba, a resident of Tugar Bature village at Illo district area of the local government.

    Read Also: ‘My husband slapped me for asking him to wash plates’

    He said the housewife and the two men she conspired with have been arrested. “They will soon appear in court,” the CP added.

    He said Yahuza Ibrahim of Gotomo village in Argungu, Murtala Abdullahi, Malam Nasiru and Dansilami, who were at large, forcefully entered the home of Adamu Yaro with weapons at Kalgo area of the state and robbed him of his motorcycle valued at N253,000 and other valuables.

    Danjuma said “The command SARS and Puff Adder personnel attached to Kalgo division investigated the incident and the suspects were arrested at their hideouts.”

  • Police quiz Fatoyinbo over alleged rape

    Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) founder Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo was on Tuesday grilled for several hours by detectives at the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID) in Abuja, over alleged rape of Busola Dakolo.

    Mrs. Dakolo in June accused the pastor in a bare-it-all interview of allegedly raping her when she was a teenager inside her family’s sitting room in Ilorin, Kwara State, when he visited one early morning.

    She gave horrid details of the encounter and explained how the pastor went on to exploit her vulnerability from that day.

    Mrs. Dakolo further revealed that two members of the church- Wole Soetan and Folarin Ogunsola- now pastors in charge of Port Harcourt and Lagos branches, had joined Fatoyinbo to beg her family after her siblings discovered what happened to her and took the war to the pastor.

    Although Fatoyinbo denied the allegation, claiming it was a calculated attempt to malign him, Dakolo’s case resulted in many other victims of the pastor’s alleged sexual assault speaking out on the social media.

    Efforts by the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) to intervene in the matter was said to have been frustrated following the refusal of the pastor to honour their invitation.

    The Nation gathered that the police have located Mrs. Dakolo’s siblings, including the sister she alleged was upstairs the day Fatoyinbo allegedly raped her at her family’s home.

    Read Also: Why I shunned PFN panel on Busola Dakolo’s rape allegation— Fatoyinbo

    Also, Pastor Ogunsola was said to have been interviewed and a statement was being obtained from him as at 7pm yesterday, while Soetan was being expected.

    The pastor, whose team was said to have been sent out of the department around 11am when he arrived, was interrogated by a team tasked to handle the case by Inspector-General of Police (IG) Mohammed Adamu through the DIG Investigation.

    As at 7:30pm it was not certain if Fatoyinbo would be granted administrative bail or detained, as The Nation gathered that the team was awaiting the arrival of the DIG, who was in a meeting.

    “Presently, he is still with us. We cannot conclude yet if he will be detained or not, but from what I have observed, he is likely to be granted bail. We are waiting for the DIG to come. He has been in a meeting,’’ said a source.

    Another source disclosed that detectives chose to invite Fatoyinbo after locating and speaking to other parties mentioned by Mrs. Dakolo in her statement.

    Confirming the development, Police spokesman Frank Mba, a Deputy Commissioner (DCP), said it was too early to say if Fatoyinbo would be detained, adding that only the investigators can arrive at that decision based on their findings.

    He said: “Yes, he is currently at FCIID undergoing interrogation. We have been conducting discreet investigation. We are making efforts to reach one or two other pastors she alleged intervened then.

    “It was a deliberate investigative strategy to bring Fatoyinbo much later after we must have gotten other things. Some Nigerians were thinking we did not want to talk to him, but that is not so.

    “He is with us now and I cannot say if he will be detained or not. Investigators will have to determine that. They may choose to detain him or grant him bail while investigation continues.

    “We have the statement of Busola Dakolo already. She earlier made a statement to the police. Nigerians are assured that we will diligently investigate and conclude this case.”

  • Lagos vows to curb fraudulent acts in real estate

    Lagos State Government has vowed to explore legal means in protecting the interests of the people from real estate swindlers, Housing Commissioner Moruf Akinderu-Fatai has said.

    The commissioner, who spoke yesterday in Alausa, Ikeja when some defrauded accommodation seekers from Alapere Ketu visited him to complain, added that the government would also help citizens to seek redress in cases of fraudulent transactions.

    He said: “The government has declared a war against fraudulent practitioners in the real estate sector. We are determined to make Lagos a no-go area for unscrupulous individuals who prey on Lagosians under the guise of real estate business.”

    Speaking earlier on behalf of the victims allegedly defrauded by an estate agent, who collected rents from over 260 prospective tenants for only 15 units of accommodation, Aliyu Toyin feared that the accused might not be brought to book.

    Read Also: ‘Shun unregistered estate agents, developers’

    Akinderu-Fatai assured them that “justice will definitely be served to the fraudulent property developer, who swindled them out of their hard earned money.”

    The commissioner said the government was aware of the issue and had instituted legal actions against the developer on behalf of the victims.

    He urged the public to report dubious estate agents and developers to the office of Lagos State Real Estate Transaction Department (LASRETRAD), Block 7, Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.

    “I assure you that the government under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is very responsive and will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the culprits are brought to book,” Akinderu-Fatai said.

    He advised the victims to remain calm and be law-abiding “since the matter is already in court.”

    Permanent Secretary Mr. Wasiu Akewusola enjoined Lagosians seeking accommodation to transact business with estate agents and developers who are registered with LASRETRAD, a directorate under the ministry.

    He said the directorate is saddled with the responsibility of registering, regulating and monitoring real estate operators across the state and

    appealed to the victims to maintain peace and order, while the government takes action on the matter.

  • Govt promises to be responsible for victims’ medical bills

    Lagos State Government has promised to take full responsibility of the medical bills of victims of the accident involving a full load cement truck and a passenger (BRT) bus, which occurred on Tuesday at Asolo on the Lagos Ikorodu Road.

    Commissioner for Health Prof Akin Abayomi who disclosed this on Tuesday during a visit to the victims at the General Hospital, Ikorodu, commiserated with them and assured them of quality and adequate care at the facility.

    He said of the 53 accident victims that were brought to the hospital, one of them was brought in dead, while two others died in the hospital due to the severity of injuries sustained.’

    Read Also: Lagos State Governor’s wife to fight sexual, domestic violence

    Abayomi said eight others were referred to other state-owned specialist facilities, noting that five of the patients were referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), while three others were taken to the General Hospital, Gbagada for further treatment.

    The commissioner hailed the swift action of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), LASAMBUS, LASTMA and other first responders in the prompt rescue of the accident victims.

    He noted that though the victims sustained different degree of injuries, they are responding well to treatment.

    He urged the families of the victims to be calm and cooperate with the medical team to ensure quick recovery.

    Abayomi assured that the government will do everything possible to ensure that the victims are discharged soon.

  • Three die as truck rams into BRT

    Two employees of Primero Transport Services Ltd and a female passenger were killed on Tuesday after a truck rammed into a Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) vehicle at Majidun in Ikorodu.

    Over 55 other passengers sustained injuries. The BRT driver was said to be unconscious. He lost his leg.

    It was gathered that the cement-laden truck had a brake failure and suddenly skidded into the BRT lane, crushing an oncoming mass transit bus with number plate LSR228XS.

    The BRT, it was learnt, had 60 passengers on board, with 20 of them standing.

    Primero boss Fola Tinubu said there was nothing the BRT driver could do, as the truck jumped from its lane and hit the bus head-on.

    He said: “A truck jumped from the regular lane on to the BRT lane and hit our bus head-on. There was nothing our driver could do to prevent the accident.

    Read Also: 17 die in Kwara auto accident

    “Unfortunately, we lost two of our workers and one passenger in the accident. We are working with the authorities to apprehend the truck driver.

    “Right now our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the deceased and we are praying for full recovery for the injured.

    “Our vehicles are fully insured and our passengers are also insured, but this will not bring back the dead. I pray that God should grant the deceased’s souls eternal rest. We will continue to investigate the accident.”

    The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said one death was recorded in the crash.

    He said the bus was carrying 40 seated and 20 standing passengers, adding that all the passengers on board suffered injuries.

    “All passengers on board suffered various degrees of injuries, with one female passenger dying. The driver suffered severe life threatening injuries, with his leg cut off.

    “The combined efforts of the agency’s assets (Medical unit, Tiger unit, Papa Eagle and Cobra units) were on ground working alongside Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC), Police, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA) to ease traffic and ensure a swift recovery of the truck. Recovery operation is ongoing,” Oke-Osanyintolu added.

  • Tecno Mobile sponsors BMW AutoFest

    SmaRtphone giant, Tecno Mobile at the weekend in Lagos, bankrolled the BMW Autofest, which held in Victoria Island, Lagos.

    In a statement, the firm said lovers of BMW and luxury cars  were there to add colour to the occasion.

    The event showcased BMW super car and power bike models of various kinds. As usual, Africa’s most preferred smartphone brand, Tecno was on hand to capture the colourful event as a sponsor.

    “The fun Tecno mascot, Tboy and its stunning cheerleaders, were also on ground to give guests at the event a chance to experience a variety of smartphones from the brand.

    “We are delighted that there was visible excitement in the air as stunt men displayed their skills in a parade of classic and more recent BMW car and bike models,” the statement read.

    While some say it is the biggest Autofest in Africa, others say it is best.

    “Whatever you choose to call it, this year’s edition was very well-befitting of the class and sophistication that Tecno and BMW are known for.

    “Plus, there was a prize giveaway, which further spiced up the event, in which one pleasantly surprised young lady emerged winner. Clearly, the Tecno brand is not just about awesome smartphones but also about awesome experiences for its many fans,” the statement added.

  • Gokada returns with safer service

    Nigeria’s leading motorbike service, Gokada has announced that it has relaunched its operations in Lagos with new motorcycles and better-equipped riders.

    The riders, Gokada said, have been trained in safe driving standards, GPS navigation, and customer service.

    It would be recalled that Gokada halted its operation on August 14, citing the need to improve its safety standards and skills of the riders.

    Founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Gokada, Fahim Saleh, at a briefing in Ilupeju, Lagos said: “Gokada has always prided itself on setting the standard in the market for safety and service. Hairnets, DOT certified helmets, extensive training – these are all reasons safety on our bikes have been so consistent and how we were able to convince so many to give this new age bike taxi a shot. As we scale, what we have now would be the template for what all our future riders will follow. We took the risk to pause for a moment and improve on that template to provide our customers with exceptional service at scale.”

    Gokada, Saleh said, has upskilled existing and newly engaged GRiders in advanced knowledge of defensive driving behaviours for enhanced safety, GPS navigation, and optimized customer service delivery.

    “In addition to this, the brand has also overhauled its entire motorbike fleet and acquired first-of-its-kind, super-efficient TVS motorbikes and fitted their pilots with Bluetooth enabled helmets allowing for more seamless communication and navigation experience,” he said.

    Gokada Co-CEO Ayodeji Adewumni said: “Gokada 2.0 is all about our unflinching commitment to our customers. We believe that it is better to suspend our operations for two weeks so we can retool and revamp for unmatched service delivery and exceptional experience with the Gokada brand for a long time to come.  It will be an incredible time to use the Gokada services as we journey to transform transportation in Nigeria and the rest of Africa. As part of this relaunch we have also made several upgrades to the management team, and I am truly excited about Gokada 2.0”

    Director of Government Relations Kayode Adegbola added: “We are excited to continue setting the standard in our industry by exceeding all of the regulatory requirements in Nigeria and partnering with government organisations like the Lagos State Government to help move residents through quicker, more comfortable, safer and responsible means.”

  • Rotary seeks better life for the poor

    The District Governor of Rotary International (9110) comprising Lagos and Abeokuta, Dr. Jide Akeredolu has urged government to double its efforts to make life better for the ordinary people.

    Addressing reporters at the renovation and upgrading of the water system at the Heritage Homes Orphanage, Lekki, he said the gap between the rich and the poor is extremely wide.

    According to him, the project was carried out by the Rotary Victoria Garden City, Lekki in order to make impact in the lives of humanity.

    Akeredolu said Rotary would continue to assist government in its little way to ensure the society gets better, noting that it was unfortunate that Nigeria was declared one of the countries with extreme cases of poverty globally.

    He further explained that the poverty line was so extreme that people in the category spend over 80 per cent of their income on food alone, adding that Rotary was trying its best to mend the safety nests ridden with wide holes.

    He said: “We know that the government is trying its best to address poverty. We are aware that in August, last year, Nigeria was declared as the country with extreme case of poverty.

    “We are working to provide safety nests, but the nests are ridden with wide holes. People are falling out of the holes and Rotary is doing its best to assist humanity.

    “So, what we have done at the orphanage will go a long way in assisting the people, many of who found their way here due to lack and extreme poverty in the society.”

    The Chairman of Heritage Homes Orphanage Pastor Itua Ighodalo said most of the inmates of the home were those abandoned by parents who lack the means to meet the needs of the family. He explained that the home was doing its best not just to accommodate them but also build their capacity and reintegrate them with the society.

    “There is need for these young children to have a place they can call home. We are saddled with the responsibility of making life better for them because they were abandoned by parents who could no longer care for them.

    “We thank Rotary VGC for the gesture. Rotary has always reached out to the society to help other people. We thank them for making impact in the lives of these ones.”

    President of Rotary VGC, Mrs. Margaret Oluwu said the club was merely carrying out one of the principles required by the club. She said it was the club’s way of assisting the less privileged individuals in the society and those experiencing harsh side of life.

    According to her, the renovation at the orphanage will give some comforts to the inmates.