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  • Okada riders foil attempted abduction outside Lagos school

    Okada riders foil attempted abduction outside Lagos school

    Panic broke out yesterday afternoon in Mende, Maryland, when an attempted abduction of a student from Halifield School was foiled by commercial motorcyclists (Okada riders) and local security at the estate gate.

    Witnesses said the student, Miss Oreoluwa Toluwani, had just stepped outside the school around 3:30 p.m. when several men tried to force her into a black Toyota Camry. 

    Her screams drew the attention of nearby pupils and Okada riders waiting to ferry students home.

    “I was by the gate waiting for passengers when I heard people shouting, ‘They’ve kidnapped her!’” said Mr. Ramon Ajayi, an eyewitness. “I turned and saw a young girl struggling inside a car, biting one of the men. I shouted, others joined, and we chased the vehicle. We alerted the street gate security, who shut the gate and blocked their escape. That gate saved her.”

    The riders and estate guards held the suspects until police officers arrived and took them into custody. By the time our reporter reached the scene, the visibly shaken victim had been reunited with her mother and escorted away.

    Read Also: Army tightens noose against Boko Haram terrorists, says Buratai

    A family member, who asked not to be named, alleged that the suspects are relatives of the girl and claimed they intended to subject her to female genital mutilation (FGM), a practice the family has repeatedly opposed. 

    “We’ve faced pressure from relatives to allow this harmful practice. I’m relieved the police intervened,” the relative said, urging authorities to protect the child.

    When contacted by phone, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chike Oti, confirmed an attempted abduction but said he had not yet received a full briefing. 

    He pledged that more details would be released as the investigation progresses. As at press time, the command had not issued a formal statement.

  • ‘I would still have killed her if she was my wife, mother or girlfriend’

    A murder suspect, Babatunde Muritala aka Muri Ete, has said that he would still have killed one of his victims, Julian Eke Imaga,18, even if she was his wife, mother or sister.

    Muritala was arrested by the operatives of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team for the gruesome killing of one Oriade Adebisi and his girlfriend Julian Eke Imaga, 18.

    Confessing at the IRT Eagles Building, Lagos Annex, GRA, Ikeja, Babatunde, who is a cultist, said: ‘’ On the part of his girlfriend, Julian, she did not offend me in any way. She was very innocent and friendly. She was very social and accommodating to friends of her boyfriend. The only reason why I killed her (Julian) was to cover up the murder, so that it would not be possible to link me and others to the murder. I regret killing her, but I had no better choice at that circumstance. If she were to be my mother, sister, wife or girlfriend, I would still have done the same thing, because I knew that if there was any leakage the police would come after us and they will get us.’’

    The suspect also said he killed Adebisi because he had refused to share proceeds of his yahoo (Internet scam) ‘business’ with him.

    ‘’’Another issue I had with him (Adebisi) is that he stopped giving me the little change (money) he used to give me. Instead, he started giving it to my rival cult members. He is a yahoo boy (Internet fraudster). He used to help me financially, but all of a sudden, he stopped. He no longer recognized me as the leader in my territory, my base, my area.’’

    Asked why he killed his victims with  plank despite being in possession of a gun, he said: “Our fraternity does not use gun to kill. It is more difficult to track plank during forensic investigation. We feel at home with plank because it would not be easy for police to track us down using plank as a specimen.

    ‘’Again, gun brings out (loud) sound when fired which can alert neighbours or police to the scene, but plank does not make such sound when you use it to kill.’’

    On why they dumped the corpse in an uncompleted building without burying them in graves, he said: “We were working on time. There was no time to dig any grave. Moreover, if exposed in the open the corpses would decompose faster and animals would help to eat up the flesh.’’

    Babatunde, a native of Oru in Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State, said he dropped out in 200 level at Tai Solarin University, where he was studying Business Administration.

    ‘’My father has five children; two children from my mother and three children from another woman. My father did not take care of any of us. He is a commercial  driver. He is always giving excuses that he has no money to train us. I later went to train as computer engineer.’’

    He claimed that one Sunkanmi, who now lives in Israel, deceitfully initiated him into a cultist group.

    ‘’Adebisi was a member of Alora cult. Their cult members wear yellow. In March this year, he gave me a bank account number for my yahoo link. We got 1,200 dollars and shared the money; we got another 6,000 dollars which took 24 hours to reflect in (his) bank account.

    ‘’Our quarrel started on May 28, 2018. I told my girlfriend called Yetunde to watch when Adebisi would drive out (of his residence). When she told me about Adebisi’s movement, I called my friends Sodiq and Taiwo and we kidnapped him and took him to a bush and killed him. I did not rape his girlfriend before we killed her.’’

    The second suspect, Taiwo Rasak, 18, said: “I am from Imota, Ikorodu, Lagos. I was initiated into Aiye fraternity in 2015 and I went to stay with Babatunde.

    ‘’Babatunde told us (myself and Sodiq now at large) that he wanted to kill Oriade Adebisi for parting with his money. Before we killed him (Adebisi), Babatunde ordered him to deactivate his password on his iPhone and he complied.’’

    IRT’s South West Coordinator, Philip Rieninwa, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) said the police received a report from one Oriade Rafiu of  Queen Oriade Crescent, Oju-Ore, Otta, Ogun State on May 28, 2018, at about 11pm, that Oriade Adebisi was driving in his Honda Cross tour car with registration number FST 350 FA together with his girlfriend, Julian Eke Imaga, 18, at Oru-Ijebu, when they were abducted by three armed men and killed.

    He said that IRT’s operatives arrested the two principal suspects, Babatunde Muritala and Taiwo Rasak.

    An iPhone with Etisalat sim card and two pairs of canvas shoes belonging to late Adebisi were recovered from Babatunde.

     

  • Celebrating World Earth Day

    Every 22nd of April, people come together to celebrate EARTH DAY. Earth Day is celebrated to shed more light into a wide range of environmental issues and problems and to inspire people to take personal action and responsibilities to address them.

    Gaylord Nelson founded the day to make the people aware about the day to day increasing rate of the industrialization as well as the careless attitude of the people living on the earth.

    The step was taken by him to promote the idea of natural balance among people as well as encourage them for respecting the assets of the planet.

    It is very necessary to take care of the environmental issues to stay healthy and alive as cruel people have mercilessly utilized its resources and depleted its life supporting resources over the centuries.

    Following the Earth Day celebration inspired by Nelson, which demonstrated widespread grassroots support for the environmental legislation, Congress passed many important environmental laws, including the Clean Air ACT, Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, as well as laws to protect wilderness areas. The Environmental Protection Agency was created within three years after Earth Day 1970.

    In 1995, Nelson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Bill Clinton for his role in founding Earth Day, raising awareness of environmental issues, and promoting environmental action.

    Earth Day celebration makes millions of people worldwide celebrate and renew their personal commitment to environmental stewardship.  Earth Day also share message about the personal responsibility we all share to “think globally and act locally” as environmental stewards of planet Earth has never been more timely or important.

    As for the theme of this event, it has always been based on the procurement, safety, and betterment of the environment. Now it depends upon your creativity whether how good you are at celebrating these and carry the message out to the other people.

    The goal this year will be educating citizens about the climate issues. We face environmental issues every day and there is need of increasing the values for building up sustainable communities for everyone.

    According to the theme of the day, we need to start campaigns leading to the mobilization of people all around the world about the truth of change in climate. These campaigns should lead to practical steps by all who want to see this world a better place.

    This literacy means enhancing the engagement of public and private organization for working in collaboration.

    It will also be the day of remembering the campaign which started in 2015 and will end in 2020 which emphasize on building projects on environmental projects. Literacy produces results so this year we all should expect from ourselves that we would be able to take action which would support safety to our environment.

    It is also a hope that we would start more creative and collaborative approach to combat the issues that exist today in our environment.

    One of the main objectives of Earth Day is to promote recycling as a means of reducing waste and conserving energy.

    The more waste there is to dispose of, the more strain is placed on energy and natural resources, all the while causing more pollution.

    As such, reducing waste is important in combating pollution and preventing the depletion of energy and natural resources.

    Recycling is an important aspect of environmental awareness because it employs both used and refuse materials in the manufacturing process.

    For instance, instead of manufacturing new plastic from scratch, plastic items can instead be recycled into new products. In this way, fewer natural resources will be used, while also resulting in less waste and less pollution.

  • Aggrieved Oyo APC members protest alleged imposition by Ajimobi

    Aggrieved Oyo APC members protest alleged imposition by Ajimobi

     

    Scores of members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in Oyo state on Monday,  protested against what they described as planned imposition of candidates by the State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi ahead of the May 12th local government election in the state.

    The aggrieved members, who stormed the Oke-Ado State Secretariat of the party which also doubles as the campaign office of the governor since early hours of Monday, insisted that there will be no local government election in the party without free, fair and credible primary which will encompass all groups within the party from wards to local governments.

    However, the state party Chairman, Chief Akin Oke said there is no tangible reason why some groups in party could decide to protest an invisible list of candidates.

    Chief Oke while reacting to the protest alleged that those protesting were being misguided by some disgruntled elements in the party, those who do not wish the party well.

    But , adamant aggrieved members who claimed that list of aspirants were being manipulated , alleged that the governor has perfected plans to substitute the delegates’ list with his own people so that only those who are loyal to him can emerge as candidates of the party.

    Read Also: Hold APC liable for killings in Nigeria – Secondus

    The protesters carried placards with different inscriptions such as “Stop imposition of candidates Ajimobi”, “APC do not belong to SENACO alone”, “No  credible list, no election” etc .among other unprintable words .

    They blocked the popular Molete-Oke Ado- Dugbe Road for several hours , leading to traffic gridlock in the area.

    It took concerted efforts of the men of the joint state security outfit, code named “Operation Burst”  to bring the situation under control.

    Later, the State Secretary of the party, Mr. Mojeed Olaoya who was asked to speak on the protest accused two leaders of the party –   former Special Adviser on Political Matter to the governor,  Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle and  ex- Chairman, Caretaker Committee for Ibadan North West local government, Dr. Wasiu Olatunbosun of orchestrating the crisis in the party.

    The state scribe while speaking further said he was surprised that journalists have bombarded the secretariat to monitor the protest as he accused them of being biased.

    Olaoya said “When the governor was here to address party members on the proposed local government election, none of you were here, now that some members of the party that have benefitted immensely from the party, Fatai Ibikunke and Wasiu Olatunbosun who have benefited from the party are now sponsoring some people against the party. “

  • Policeman slaughtered by Fulani herdsmen in Benue

    Policeman slaughtered by Fulani herdsmen in Benue

    Suspected Fulani herdsmen have slaughtered a policeman, plucked his two eyes as well as remove his nose in Azege, Tombo ward Logo local Government area of Benue State on Monday.

    According to a statement released by the Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO) Moses Yamu, a DSP said the body of the Non Commission Officer (NCO) was found today by a team of policemen and deposited in the mortuary.

    He said despite the setback, the police is undaunted, in its effort to tackle security challenges in the state.

    Read Also: Police arraign 3 for alleged car theft

    The statement from the police, regarding the death of the policeman reads

    “The Command regret to announce the death of one of its NCO, who was one of the two remaining missing Policemen in the attack of 9/2/2018.

    He was found brutally slaughtered, with both eyes and ears as well as nose removed.

    We pray that God Almighty grants him eternal rest.

    However, the Police remain committed to its statutory and daunting obligation of ensuring security as well as protection of life and property of all, please.

    The Nigeria Police Force
    Benue State Police Command”

     

  • Hold APC liable for killings in Nigeria – Secondus

    Hold APC liable for killings in Nigeria – Secondus

    The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),  Prince Uche Secondus, on Monday accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of sponsoring various killings in the country and must be held responsible for the death of innocent Nigerians.

    Secondus while speaking at the headquarters of the party in Umuahia, Abia State,  also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure  free, fair and credible election in 2019.

    He warned that Nigerians would resist any attempt by INEC to rig the elections in favour of the APC.

    Secondus, who was on a three-day working visit to the state,  said the “PDP is on a mission to recover the land  from the APC.”

    He said: “APC government has collapsed. They must be held responsible for the killings in various parts of the country. APC government has empowered the Fulani’s with the power to kill.

    “They (APC) must be blamed for the mismanagement of the country’s economy. There is hunger in the land. They (APC) are broken bottle and should brace up and get ready to leave because Nigerians are tired of playing politics with the killing of innocent Nigerians and hunger which they inflicted on Nigerians.

    “The APC government has run down the economy of the country. They can no longer protect the lives and property of Nigerians. They have run down the National Assembly that is why Nigerians are yearning for PDP to come and take over power from the APC. We are moving gradually, but working to rescue the nation from the mess that APC has thrown it into. We are not going to allow the APC to rig election in 2019. That is why we are saying that the best gift Buhari will give Nigerians is to conduct a free, fair and credible election, after which Buhari will retire to his house honourably because we know that Nigerians have seen that the APC has failed abysmally”.

     

    Read Also:  PDP  members defect to APC in Kwara

     

     

     

  • Kebbi spent N2bn on water supply in 2017

    Kebbi spent N2bn on water supply in 2017

    The Kebbi State Government said it had spent over N2 billion on the provision of potable and safe drinking water in 2017 to safeguard the health of the people against water borne diseases.

    The Commissioner of Water Resources and Rural Development, Alhaji Bala Kangiwa, stated this while defending the ministry’s budget for 2018 before the Kebbi House of Assembly in Birnin Kebbi on Monday.

    “The performance of the last year’s budget was very impressive as we expended N2 billion out of the proposed capital expenditure.

    “We also spent N98 million out of the N100 million proposed recurrent expenditure in 2017,” he said.

    Read Also: Kebbi bans night travel by boats, canoe along River Niger

    Kangiwa said that over N6 billion was proposed for 2018 by the ministry as part of the government’s commitment to improve the standard of living and social services to the people in all the 21 local government areas.

    The commissioner commended the support and cooperation the ministry received from the state of assembly.

    The Chairman of the Joint Committees on Finance, Appropriation and Budget Monitoring and Economic Planning, Alhaji Umaru Sarkin-Shanu, commended the commissioner for his performance.

    He also assured that the legislative would continue to support and assist the executive to ensure the improvement of standards of living of the people in the state.

    NAN

     

  • Ambode extends scope of Oshodi/Airport Road project

    Ambode extends scope of Oshodi/Airport Road project

    GOV.  Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Monday said he had given approval for the extension of the 10-lane Oshodi-International Airport road project to Ladipo Bus-Stop on the Apapa/Oshodi Expressway.

    “There is no point reconstructing the Airport Road if it is not extended to this point, and the extension will also complement the ongoing project within the market,” Ambode told traders at the Ladipo spare parts market.

    He was addressing the traders during an inspection tour of some ongoing projects in the state.

    According to our reporter, the 10-lane Oshodi-International Airport road project is scheduled for completion later this year.

    Ambode appealed to traders at the Ladipo spare parts market to give way for contractors to rehabilitate and reconstruct roads within the market.

    According to him, the traders selling on the road are delaying the contractor’s work, which may have effect on the project’s expected time of delivery in May.

    Read Also:  Ambode signs seven ‘critical’ bills into Law

    “The only reason why this project will not be delivered is if you continue to obstruct the contractor.

    “You need to talk to yourselves; I do not want any trading on this road until it is finished,” Ambode said.

    The governor, who said he was committed to bringing development to the market, urged the market leaders to appeal to the traders and cooperate with the contractor.

    Ambode also inspected the ongoing Oshodi Transport terminals, roads on Ketu-Alapere axis and the Eko Arts Theatre beside Opebi Link Bridge.

    The Oshodi Transport Terminals is expected to be delivered by August this year.

    The Vice President, Ladipo Spare Parts Market, Mr Jude Nwankwo, in his response assured Ambode of total cooperation of all the traders.

     

     

  • Asokoro property not owned by former FCT minister- Witness

    Asokoro property not owned by former FCT minister- Witness

    A prosecution witness, Mr Ishaya Dauda on Monday admitted in an FCT High Court in Gudu, the alleged property in Asokoro did not bear Bala Mohammed’s name, Dauda, the Senior Detective Superintendent with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said this during cross examination by the defence counsel, Chief Chris Uche [SAN].

    Mohammed is being prosecuted by the Commission on a six-count charge bordering on alleged false declaration of asset and graft.

    The witness had also failed to bring to court, the written petition which he said, led to the arraignment and prosecution of the former minister.

    In the last adjourned date of Dec.4, 2017, the same witness had given evidence that Bala Mohammed was given the property as gratification by Aso Savings and Loans Ltd.

    The EFCC had alleged that the former minister, upon the request of Aso Savings, had relocated Abuja Urban Mass Transit from their plot at Mpape area along Kubwa express.

    Dauda had also testified that Aso Savings and Loans Ltd had stood as guarantor to Abuja Urban Mass Transit when they obtained a loan of N1.8 billion from the former Oceanic bank for the acquisition of new buses.

    A letter of appreciation from the Managing Director of Aso Savings and Loans, Mr Hassan Usman was produced in court as one of the items recovered by the Commission during investigations.

    The letter was dated Feb.24, 2011.

    Dauda had also admitted that the Managing Director of Aso Savings had made several statements to the EFCC and was able to identify one of them when shown by the defence.

    A sentence from the statement was read in court: “I, however state in good conscience under oath that the minister never requested Aso for a house. He has never asked for anything.’’

    The defence established that one of the charges against the former minister was that he did not include a property at 54 Mike Akhigbe street, Jabi, while filling his asset declaration form.

    Read Also: NDLEA educates youths against drug abuse in  FCT 

    The EFCC witness, however, admitted that during the course of investigations, he saw the title documents of the house and it did not contain the name of the defendant.

    He also admitted that the alleged undeveloped plot of land at 17c Ibrahim Anguwar Sarki Street, Kaduna was given to the former FCT minister by Kaduna state government.

    Dauda admitted that another property which the Commission said allegedly belonged to the defendant in Kaduna, carried the name of Pastor Allen Agbor in its title document.

    Chief Chris Uche told the court that Bala Mohammed had already told the Commission in his statement that the property did not belong to him.

    On the charge that the defendant used his office as minister to allocate 15 houses to his associates, the defence told the court that there was a committee set up by the government.

    He said this Committee was a special task force with a Chairman by name Aliyu Jungudu, which the witness admitted was saddled with the responsibility of the sale of government houses.

    He also admitted that he did not see any payment of money by any of these allottees into the defendant’s account.

    Justice Abubakar Talba adjourned continuation of trial until April 16.

    NAN

  • NITDA begins registration, licensing of IT contractors

    NITDA begins registration, licensing of IT contractors

    The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) says it is set to register and issue licence to indigenous Information Technology (IT) contractors and service providers.

    The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Dr Ibrahim Pantami, announced the plan in a statement on Monday in Lagos.

    “The management of NITDA has put in place measures to register and license all IT contractors and service providers.

    “This is for the purposes of procurement, public-private partnerships (PPPs) and other forms of engagement with government establishments and the private sector.

    “This information is for all IT contractors, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), other government establishments, the organised private sector and the general public,’’ Pantami said.

    According to him, the agency is dismay at the rising number of failing IT projects within Federal MDAs and other government establishments.

    He said NITDA’s investigations revealed that more than 90 per cent of IT projects in MDAs failed and more than 95 per cent of their security was compromised.

    He noted that the registration and licensing of IT contractors and service providers had become expedient to curtail these issues.

    He added that it would be in line with the agency’s mandate and with the recent Presidential Executive Order 005.

    The D-G said that the order issued by President Muhammadu Buhari was for planning and execution of projects, promotion of Nigerian content in contracts and science, engineering and technology.

    Read Also: NITDA, EFCC collaborate on IT projects clearance

    “The process aims at ensuring the emergence of robust indigenous IT service providers and contractors, guaranteeing the delivery of sustainable IT projects and engendering professionalism in the IT service industry.

    “The process will also ensure that IT projects in MDAs will only be executed by indigenous companies where in-country capacity exists.

    “As part of the process, NITDA will monitor and ensure the capacity development of Nigerians employed by IT Contractors and other Service providers.’’

    He explained that the agency will, in conjunction with relevant agencies, investigate any project that has failed to determine the root cause of the failure.

    “Sanctions will be applied where necessary or to refer such cases to other relevant authorities,’’ the D-G said.

    He advised all firms, desirous of providing IT services and contracts to Federal MDAs and other government establishments, to initiate the registration process with immediate effect.

    He said that guidelines for the registration process could be published on NITDA’s website: www.nitda.gov.ng.

    “Alternatively, an application could be written to the agency in order to initiate the process.’’

    He noted that only NITDA registered firms and companies would be recognised as having capabilities for the provision of IT services to Federal MDAs and other government establishments.

    Pantami said that all MDAs and other government establishments are advised to consult NITDA before any IT firm is engaged for the purpose of providing IT related services.

    NAN