The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian Newspapers

  • Teenager accused of robbery

    An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court yesterday remanded in prison an unemployed 19-year-old man, Ibrahim Bala, who was charged with illegal possession of a pistol and attempted robbery,

    Magistrate J. A. Adegun, who did not take Bala’s plea, made the order following an application by the police.

    Adegun ordered that Bala be kept at Kirikiri Prisons pending advice by Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

    Bala appeared before the court on a temporary three-count charge of conspiracy, illegal possession of firearms and attempted robbery.

    Read Also: Robbery suspect who operates in Army uniform arrested

    Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Clifford Ogu alleged that Bala and his accomplices, who are at large, committed the offence on July 7, at Okokomaiko, Lagos.

    The defendant allegedly unlawfully had in his possession a pistol and attempted to rob bus passengers.

    Ogu said: “The defendant and his gang boarded a bus on the pretext of going to Okokomaiko. On the way, they brought out a gun, commanding other passengers to surrender their valuables.

    The case continues on September 4.

  • Brothers face N1.3m theft charge

    Two brothers, Olanrewaju and Kolawole Afuwape, yesterday appeared before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing the N1.3 million a pastor realised as rent on his property.

    Olanrewaju, 44, and Kolawole, 35, pleaded not guilty to the four-count charge of conspiracy, forgery and theft.

    Prosecuting Sergeant Tope Adegbie alleged that the defendants committed the offence between 2018 and July 2019 at Alimosho area of Lagos.

    Read Also: Court remands teenager charged with armed robbery

    Adegbie alleged that the defendants forged an August 18, 2000 document through which they stole the cash realised as rent for the 24-rooms and two shops, belonging to the complainant, Pastor Lawrence Idowu.

    Magistrate Y. O. Aro-Lambo granted them N50,000 bail with one surety each in the like sum.

    He adjourned till October 17.

  • Mum, daughter charged with beating up three IE officials

    A housewife, Cecilia Osuji and her daughter, Vivian, yesterday appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly assaulting three electricity officials and damaging their ladder.

    Osuij, 50, and Vivian, 28, of Alagbado, Lagos, pleaded not guilty to the four-count charge of conspiracy, breach of the peace, assault and damage.

    Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP)  Ezekiel Ayorinde, alleged that the defendants and their accomplices, who are on the run, committed the offence on July 26 at Alagbado.

    The defendants allegedly conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace, when they beat up Messrs. Damilare Babalola, Emmanuel Ajiboye and Lateef Erinfolami, who were on official duty.

    Read Also: Man in court for stealing Macbook laptop, others

    Ayorinde said the complainants were at Alagbado to disconnect power supply to the defendants’ home over huge debts, but they were obstructed and assaulted.

    “The defendants beat up the complainants with pipes, which caused them grievous hurt.

    “They     also damaged an official ladder, property of Ikeja Electricity (IE),” Ayorinde said.

    Magistrate B. O. Osunsanmi granted the defendants  N200,000 bail with two sureties each in the like sum.

    The case continues on September 23.

  • Residents seek govt’s help to fix roads, drainages

    Residents of Jakande Housing Estate in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State have sought the government’s intervention in fixing their roads and drainages.

    They made the appeal yesterday during the weekly environmental sanitation.

    A resident and All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman for Eti-Osa Local Government, Mondiu Shade, said such help was needed for the building of proper drainages and good roads.

    This, he said, was beyond   the local government’s capacity.

    Read Also: Lagos seals ‘illegal’ e-waste factories

    Another resident, Mr. Tunde Obadimeji, said inhabitants would be happy with such intervention.

    Obadimeji, chairman of the Community Development Association (CDA), said former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode helped in sand-filling some streets, “but this was later washed away by erosion into the old collapsed and abandoned drainages.”

    “Your Excellency, sir, even if we are still buying drinking water at a high rate, with the bad road, the amount will increase if the roads are not fixed,” he said.

    The councillor of Ward ‘E’, which the estate belongs to, Mr. Muftau Ogunderu, said the estate would soon benefit from the government’s programmes, “as it is turn-by-turn.”

    Ogunderu hailed the council Chairman, Alhaji Saheed Bankole, for renovating and building classes at Ikota Primary School.

  • Tenants ‘poison’ neighbour’s water

    Two traders and a housewife, yesterday appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly pouring Sniper (a banned poisonous agrochemical) into a co-tenant’s cooking water.

    Mrs. Sade Gbadamosi, 39, a trader; Mrs. Omowunmi Aina, 42, a housewife; and Mr. Rahman Balogun, 45, a trader, of Oke-Odo, Abule-Egba, Lagos, pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge of conspiracy, breach of the peace and assault.

    Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ezekiel Ayorinde alleged that the defendants committed the offence on May 3 at their home.

    Read Also: Man arrested for ‘hiding in bank’s ceiling to steal’ 

    Ayorinde said they conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace by pouring the chemical into Mrs. Munirat Idris’ cooking water.

    The court heard that the trio “made life unbearable for the complainant over undisclosed reasons.”

    Magistrate B. O. Osunsanmi granted the defendants N50,000 bail with one surety each in the like sum.

    The case continues on September 29.

  • Govt assures Lagosians of peaceful Sallah

    Security will be tightened around Lagos Island Central Business District (CBD), during the Muslim festival of Eid-El-Kabir, the government said on Friday.

    Director, Administration and Human Resources, Office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Central Business District (CBD), Mr. Babatunde Onafowokan, made this known while  monitoring security and traffic situation at the district.

    The CBD management, he said, had put in place measures to ensure a safe and secure environment during the period.

    He said during festive periods, Lagos Island usually witnessed a high influx of people

    Onafowokan said his office had harmonised environmental, traffic and safety enforcement activities with sister agencies, to prevent gridlock, guarantee security and remove impediments that could constitute danger to the people.

  • How rapist deflowered me at knifepoint, by girl, 14

    A 14-year-old girl yesterday narrated how a man raped her in Ikorodu, Lagos, on Monday at knifepoint.

    She said the incident took place on Monday,  in a house at Fajemisi Kokoro Abu Street, Sabo, Ikorodu.

    The girl, a trainee-hairdresser, said she was returning from where she went to buy food for her boss.

    The suspect, it was gathered, works at a gas shop in Ikorodu.

    He was living with his parents before they relocated. He now lives with another man in a room where he committed the act .

    The victim told our reporter that the suspect wore a yellow top and shorts on the fateful day.

    She said: “I was returning from where I had gone to buy rice for my boss when the incident happened. I was heading for the salon when the rapist called me, but I did not answer him because I don’t know him. He then accosted me near a house at a corner at Fajemisi Kokoro Abu Street in Sabo, Ikorodu. He pushed me, lifted up his yellow top, brought out a knife and tied my mouth with a cloth. He pushed me to the floor, dragged me to a room and said if I moved, he would kill me and run away.

    “He dragged me to a bed, removed my clothes and deflowered me. After raping me, he removed his yellow top and used it to clean my blood. He opened the door and ran out with the clothing. I later went out of the room and shouted. People came around; some chased him, but did not find him. A woman took me to my boss’ shop. I was given some drugs. My mother later joined us and we went to report the incident at Igbogbo Police Station. Later I went to hospital.”

    Read Also: Man rapes 14 year-old at knife point, cleaned her blood with his top and ran away with it

    The girl said she needed proper care, adding that she will be happy if the suspect is brought to book.

    Her mother, who simply identified herself as Monsura, said her daughter had three cuts in her private parts.

    “My daughter is not well, she is not feeling fine, she is not comfortable. She has since Monday been bathing with hot water. She cannot do anything by herself. If you see her, you will pity her. She has been wearing cardigan since Monday and covering up herself with a bedsheet.

    “We took her to the General Hospital at Ita-Elewa in Ikorodu. She was given medicines and she did several tests, including HIV test. The doctors said the rapist has injured her and that she has three cuts in her private parts.

    “I want the police to arrest the man the rapist lives with, his parents and the owner of the gas shop where he works.  If these people are arrested, the rapist will come out from hiding.

    “I’m worried because the rapist used his clothes to clean my daughter’s blood after deflowering her. I’m concerned about that clothe because of what is going on now in the country. Some people said such clothes are used for money rituals.”

    The victim’s boss, who identified herself as Aisha, said Monday was not the first time she would send the girl to buy her food.

    “I don’t know the rapist, but we have been searching for him. Someone gave us his number. I have called his line several times, but the phone has been switched off,” she said.

    Our reporter yesterday called the rapist’s line, but the phone was switched off.

    Command spokesman Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendant (DSP), said the police were investigating the matter, adding that the suspect will be arrested and arraigned.

  • Moses the mule?

    DURING the reign of Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, Victor Moses, Nigeria’s former international and part of the victorious Eagles campaign at AFCON 2013 in South Africa, was almost surplus requirement.

    But then came Antonio Conte and everything changed.  Under Mourinho, as an out-and-out winger, Moses’s playing time was rather limited.  But Conte had a joker, into which Moses fitted pat — the modern wing-back.

    Now, nobody ever doubted the audacious skills of Moses, whose impudent dribbles could take your breath away!  But he also had in abundance the proverbial African strength, as grand reservoir for the energy a wing-back needs, as he defends this second; bears down the opponents’ penalty area the next; and still boasts enough vim to dash back to his own box 18, should his team lose possession!

    That was the niche Conte located in Moses and milked it to the full.  Welcome a brand new Moses, that ran riot with Chelsea, in that 2016/2017 season, en route to the English Premier League (EPL) title.

    All of a sudden, Conte’s Chelsea was incomplete without Moses — talk of the stone that the builders refused that nevertheless became the head cornerstone!  Moses — the quintessential, ultra-mobile, modern wing-back!  So good was the deal that Moses called his international career to devote full time to his darling Chelsea.

    Well, good — or bad — times don’t last; and Conte soon departed.  Enter Maurizio Sarri, he of the famous  Sarri ball; but for Moses, a Pharaoh that knew no Joseph, leading to inevitable exodus to Fernabache, the Turkish top league side, on loan, in search of more playing time.

    But old plague (playing as a winger, with little or no goals) at Chelsea appears catching up with Moses at Fernabache. Ersun Yanal, his Fernabache boss, is grumbling about low productivity (a euphemism for few goals).  That means the playing time he junked his international career to secure might yet again dry up!

    But umpteenth salvation appears beckoning from good old Conte, now boss at Inter Milan, that famous Italian club side that shares the famous San Siro Stadium with the no less famous, AC Milan, a one-time dominant force in the UEFA Champions League.

    Apparently, Conte wants Moses to replicate his Standford Bridge wing-back magic at the San Siro.

    Will a deal happen — who knows?  If it does, Moses would yet again become the football equivalent of Sidney Carton, the “fellow of no delicacy” in Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities — the mule that did all the work, while Charles Darney, his alter ego (“the fellow of delicacy”) got all the glory.

    That again reminds you of compatriot, Joseph Yobo and Everton.  In a particular season, Yobo played every single match of the EPL season for his club side.  That was a record but its effect was dire!

    Moses and Yobo are examples of how African footballers perhaps have to do much more than their peers from elsewhere, to corral playing time.

    Moses the mule?  Perhaps that is serious warning that Nigeria — indeed, the whole of Africa — should develop own domestic  leagues, to avail their youngsters opportunities at home, rather than  go abroad to grind.

     

  • Growing pains

    I WOULD like to invite the attention of my readers to what I consider to be one of the unique features of democracy as a form of government. Simply put, democracy is an organism, with stages of growth, each of which has its unique characteristics requiring special attention. In some sense, we acknowledge this fact with our speech-acts. We say, for instance, that we should grow our democracy. Or that we must not allow democracy to die.

    But what does it mean to say that as an organism democracy has stages of growth? It means that, as opposed to being born and attaining the age of maturity in a day, it develops in stages. And each of these stages comes with unique characteristics and special requirements, which if not met, could hamper its growth and delay its maturity. In short, a democracy-being can be likened to a human being. It goes through birthing pains, infancy, adolescence, and adulthood.

    Before we go into a discussion of these stages of growth and their special needs, however, it is necessary to see how other forms of government such as monarchy, aristocracy, or dictatorship are different. For each of these, the analogy fails because it is misplaced. No growth is warranted because the interest at stake is limited to that of the wielder(s) of power.

    Take monarchy, for instance. In Prince, Machiavelli gets it right when he advises that the interest of the king be the sole long-term motivation for actions and policies, and it is in the context of the king’s interests that those of the subjects get considered. In The Social Contract, Rousseau makes a similar claim. And Louis XIV of France declared: Letat c’est moi. Where that is the case, talk about growth of the monarchy makes little sense unless in terms of the maturing of the person wielding power at any point in time.

    In our own neck of wood, the pre-colonial forms of government differed in various ways. In none of them does the analogy prevail for the same reason that we have mentioned. We are familiar with such lyrics as “Kabiyesi Oba lo nile. Bo ba n dun yin e fori sole.”(The land belongs to the king. If you are unhappy, you may fall and die.) And the subjects themselves dance ecstatically to the music that demeans their humanity.

    In the case of the military, which, beside democracy, has been our common experience for the better part of our existence as a nation, we also know that it is far from being an organism that grows. Surely, it increases or decreases in size and complexity depending on circumstances external to it. But it is akin to robotic development than human growth. In fairness to Fela, this is probably what he tried to depict in his zombie lyrics, without prejudice to the wonderful men and women of distinction who have served or are serving in the armed forces.

    Democracy is the only form of government that can be described as an organism that grows and suffers from growing pains as it goes through the various stages of growth.

    First, is the stage of birth and its pains. We have gone through three stages of democratic birth, each with midwives having their own special interests in the newly born. In our first democratic birth, we had the colonial masters as the midwives. They delivered a baby that was to be in their image and serve their interests. Therefore, the baby, almost still born, deprived of loving care and left on her own, did not survive beyond the kindergarten stage. It was the beginning of democracy as abiku in this land.

    Our second democratic birth was midwifed by the military. Again, with their own interest at stake, they ensured that they monitored the baby in gestation, and they delivered her in accordance with their perceived good. What you get as output cannot be different from what you put in. A vineyard does not produce a harvest of carrots. And birth pains are sure to be multiple and linger when the conditions are not conducive. So it was that this new baby had a shorter life than the first.

    Finally, we just had a third birth also midwifed by the military which was responsible for the demise of the second birth. And, as before, it made extra effort to ensure that this new arrival is also kept close to its tutelage by making one of its own the president of the new republic. This was soon to backfire as the new president, untrusting of his own former colleagues, brutally clipped their wings. The new birth has weathered the storm of life from infancy to the margins of adulthood at 20, while still engrossed in reactive mode to its environment, including cultural, religious, and ethnic.

    At infancy, a dictator in democratic garb became its first nurse. With heavy hands and an arsenal of military tactics, he outmaneuvered his opponents, but in the process, he dealt a heavy blow on the temple of the new-born, nearly suffocating it with electoral malfeasance, flagrant abuse of power and process in the use of impeachment as political weapon against perceived enemies. In infancy, our dear democracy suffered from negligence and abuse.

    A child that is thus abused has a tendency for developing defense mechanisms and may become delinquent in adolescence. Without proper counseling and therapy, this may follow him or her to adulthood. This accounts for the crippling corruption, mockery of the rule of law, and judicial recklessness that have been the embarrassing features of our democracy at 20.

    There are certain development milestones that we expect normal human children to attain as they grow. At 20, which is late adolescence in human development, there are some expectations. Mentally, a 20-year old would think through ideas, set personally goals, and develop a view of life that makes it meaningful. With regards to emotional development, late adolescents have a good sense of self, have some concern for others, and entertain thoughts about his or her purpose in life as he or she becomes gradually stable. In social terms, late adolescents are more self-reliant with an increasing ability to make their own decisions.

    If democracy is a living organism, citizens are the internal organs, the interplay, intersection and workings of which make the organism thrive and prosper. Therefore, if any of the internal organs is diseased and unable to perform its functions, the health of the organism is also compromised. There is no doubt that many citizens of our democratic republic are diseased and demobilized. That the institutions which are established to provide direction for the republic are dysfunctional is provable beyond reasonable doubt. These institutions are also peopled by persons that operate at below par. Hence the morbidity of the entire system.

    The current furor over the call for revolution is part of the growing pains of the system and a symptom of its ill-health. Surely, there are serious problems that warrant the attention of patriots, but which also predate the current administration. Indeed, members of the current administration, including the president himself, have at some point in 2011 and 2015 led protests that exposed the ills of society.

    It is also true, however, that this latest effort on the part of some patriots has not been well handled. Such a major push must not be made as if it were a lone wolf idea, especially when the lone wolf has just lost an election, giving the unfortunate impression of a sore loser only re-contesting the election on the streets. There is no indication of a thoughtful plan that seeks collaboration with labor, trade unions, students, market women, etc. Without such an effort, you open yourself to defeat and failure.

    On the other hand, the state security services, as always, has also managed to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. With its deployment of machine guns to kill a spider, it has lionized the spider in the process, embarrassing itself and the administration. There are enough lessons to learn from this latest saga, a manifestation of a late adolescence in growing pains.

     

  • Flood ravages Imo communities

    No fewer than 15 communities are flooded in Imo State, leaving residents in agony as Governor Emeka Ihedioha calls for lasting solution. OKODILI NDIDI reports

    Wading through the flood that has already risen to waist level was a forlorn-looking old man likely in his mid-80s. Slightly bent and shaking from the cold occasioned by long exposure to rain and floodwater that has taken over what used to be his home, he tried to put on a smile before a delegation of interventionist agencies including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Imo State Emergency Management Agency led by the member representing Ohaji-Egbema-Oguta-Oru West Federal Constituency, Hon. Kingsley Uju.

    The feigned smile, however, could not conceal the agony of losing his home and his crops to the ravaging flood that has completely submerged his community, Orsu Obodo in Oguta Council Area of Imo State. The look on his face told the whole story. At last, barely above whispers, he said, “Help me, I have lost everything and I don’t know where to go from here. The flood this year is massive, I was not prepared; I lost my crops and fish farm.”

    The above picture captures the plight of residents of the 15 flooded communities in Imo State. The flood has ravaged Ohaji-Egbema and Oguta Council Areas of the state, submerging two hundred homes and displacing six thousand people, among them, women and children. Scores of farmers in the various farm settlements were also trapped.

    According to some of the victims, the flooding of the communities along the coastline has become almost an annual occurrence but was more devastating this year.

    When The Nation visited some of the affected communities, where used to be homes and roads have been completely submerged in the flood.

    At Nmahu community, dejected fish farmers pointed at the ruins of their once flourishing farms. Tearfully, they gave graphic accounts of how a pre-dawn rain wreaked havoc in the community, “the rain started at about 3am that fateful Sunday like every other day but after a couple of hours, we were driven out of our homes by the rushing flood.”

    One of the residents, Princewill Ogor, said, “We are totally devastated and we have nowhere to go, our farms have been washed away and we lost our fish ponds. The children are all sick and the only health centre we have is now submerged, we don’t know what to do, we are waiting for the government to intervene otherwise we are finished.”

    Reacting to the plight of the flood victims, member representing Ohaji-Egbema/Oguta/Oru West Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Kingsley Uju, has appealed to the Federal and Imo State Governments, as well as the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other interventionist agencies to rescue and resettle trapped farmers in the 15 flooded communities in State.

    According to him, women and children are also in dire need of urgent attention as health challenges have scaled up in the area following the flood.

    He raised the alarm that if urgent measures were not taken, there could be humanitarian crisis and epidemic in the area.

    The lawmaker, who was on assessment tour of the affected communities in Ohaji-Egbema and Oguta council areas, said 15 communities have been submerged so far, with over 6000 people displaced.

    Uju, accompanied on the tour by officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), also disclosed that various farm settlements have been swept away by the flood, adding that some of the farmers were still trapped in the flood.

    According to him, the few health centres in the affected communities are currently overwhelmed.

    “What you are seeing is a major disaster,” he said. “The health centres cannot manage the crisis. From the assessment so far, 15 communities have been submerged and over 6000 persons displaced from their homes. The farmers are forced to harvest their premature crops, we need urgent attention to forestall humanitarian crisis.

    “I am calling on the FG and NEMA to come to the aid of my people, as you can see they have lost their homes, businesses, farms and other forms of livelihood to the flood. Some of the farmers are still trapped in the flood.

    “The flood is caused each time the River Niger and the Orashi River surge as a result of the rains and then that happens, all the communities along the coastline will be flooded. This issue of flooding has become an annual occurrence but it seems to be worse this year. Something need to be done to find a permanent solution to the problem like the construction of shore embankment to save the communities along the shoreline.”

    He enjoined the people to remain calm, assuring that their plight will be brought before the relevant authority for prompt intervention.

    Meanwhile, the flood victims who recounted their losses, appealed to the lawmaker to bring their plight before the requisite authorities, lamenting that they have been abandoned to their fate.

    A fish farmer whose farm was washed away by the flood, Mr. Bonadventure Nzoma, said that he lost over N11million to the flood.

    He disclosed that he lost over 3,000 fishes including fingerlings and crocodiles when his farm was submerged.

    The Head, Imo/AbiaAbia Operations Office  of NEMA, Evans Ugoh, attributed the the flood to the topographic nature of the communities surrounded by the Orashi river and Oguta lake.

    He said, “We have been on assessment of the flood in the last two weeks that it started, from the reports, 15 communities have been completely submerged along the coastline, it happens every other year but it is massive this year. We are advising those in affected communities to evacuate to forestall possible casualties.

    “After the assessment, we will do our report and relief materials and other forms of assistance will be sent to the victims.”

    Meanwhile, worried by the level of devastation caused by the flood in the state, Governor Emeka Ihedioha has rallied professionals and experts in the state to brainstorm how to tackle the menace.

    The governor, who presided over a meeting between the government and the leadership of various professional bodies in the state, constituted a task team headed by Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie with a charge to articulate implementable plans to address the menace of flooding and erosion.

    Addressing members of the bodies which include; Nigeria Society of Engineers, Institute of Architects, landscape architects, surveyors, town planners, quantity surveyors, environmentalists, the governor said, “This meeting is imperative as it will enable us to review where we are, the status of flooding in Owerri and other parts of the state and planned solution, which require holistic discussion with stakeholders. We consider it important to carry everybody along so that people will understand what we are doing and where we are going.”