The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ogun state

  • Army arrests 40 suspects, recovers 400 jerry cans of petrol from vandals

    The Nigerian Army said on Thursday that it arrested 40 suspected vandals, cultists and impersonators and recovered over 400 jerry cans filled with petroleum products.

    The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 81 Division, Maj. Gen. Enobong Udoh, said in a statement that the suspects were arrested at different places between Lagos and Ogun states.

    According to the GOC, the arrests were made following reliable information received from well-meaning Nigerians during anti-illegal bunkering and anti-pipeline vandalism patrol.

    “This arrest was made in conjuction with Department of State Security, Inspector General of Police Task Force Team, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety Corp and Lagos Neighborhood Safety Corps.

    “We swooped on suspected pipeline vandals at Magboro in Ogun State along Lagos/Ibadan Expressway on May 16.

    “On sighting the troops, the armed vandals fired sporadically before abandoning their vehicles loaded with the refined PMS and some empty jerry cans and fled to avoid being arrested.

    “Notwithstanding, the troops arrested 12 suspected vandals during a Cordon and Search Operation conducted around the vicinity,” he said.

    Udoh said 24 vehicles, comprising of three trailer trucks, nine buses, eight space wagons, one Hilux van, three salon cars and four motorcycles abandoned by the vandals, were recovered.

    “Other items recovered include 166 50-litre jerry cans loaded with refined petrol, 130 empty 50-litres jerry cans, approximately 8,300 litres of refined PMS.

    “However, while recovering them, one of the vehicles caught fire and was completely razed,” he said.

    The GOC said the troops also raided a location where suspected vandals were carrying out their sabotage activities along NNPC pipeline at Akute.

    “The vandals concealed their vehicles with refined oil products and fled on arrival of the troops.

    “Five suspected vandals were arrested at the scene and items recovered include: nine vehicles, comprising six buses, two heavy-storage trucks and one sports utility vehicle.

    “Other items recovered include one motorcycle, seven mobile phones, 371 of 50-litres and 42 of 25-litres jerry cans loaded with refined PMS, 106 empty 50-jerry cans, a hose of about 500 metres in length used for siphoning products with approximately 19,600 litres of stolen PMS being recovered,” the statement stated

    Udoh also added that 12 impostors were arrested by the Special Team of Operation Checkmate at various locations in Lagos and Ogun States while perpetrating various acts of illegality dressed in military uniforms.

    “Troops also received reports of cult-related clashes at Reshe in Ikorodu Central Area.

    “On arrival, troops met a chaotic scene where seven vehicles were vandalized, properties destroyed and some law-abiding citizens injured.

    “On intervention by the troops, seven suspected cultists most of whom were of the EIYE Confraternity were arrested.

    “Items recovered include: seven mobile phones, three ATM cards, one ID card, eight belts, one wallet, four rings, three wrist watches, black substance suspected to be charms and the sum of N13,080,” he said.

    The GOC also said that four suspected cultists were arrested during another Cordon and Search operation conducted at Odokekere general area of Ikorodu.

    “The suspected cultists were among those who escaped from the raid carried out on April 16 at Eginrin Depression area of Ikorodu during the initiation ceremony.

    “Items recovered include 1 Itel Phone and a brown belt,” he said.

    The GOC said all arrested suspected pipeline vandals, impostors and cultists were undergoing preliminary investigations after which they would be handed over to the appropriate security agency for further investigation and prosecution.

    He enjoined the public to continue reaching out to the numbers below to give useful information that would assist in ridding their areas of criminal elements:

  • Nigeria needs N16.56tr for its rail projects — Amaechi

    Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi says Nigeria needs not less than N46 billion dollars (about N16.56 trillion) to construct its three major speed rail lines.

    The minister said this on Tuesday in Papalanto, near Abeokuta, Ogun State during a joint inspection of the Lagos-Ibadan standard rail gauge with the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

    He said the three speed rail line projects – Lagos to Kano, Lagos to Calabar and Port Harcourt to Maiduguri – were crucial to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The minister said that although the government did not have the fund ready to finance the projects, but the President had directed him to source for the fund because of the importance of the projects.

    “We don’t have the money available but we have to source it.

    “The Federal Government must look for the money; we may likely borrow the money because the money is not just there.

    “For now, the Chinese are funding the Lagos to Kano rail project and any of those that we have approached, when they give us money for the other two projects we will gladly take,” he said.

    Amaechi said that the private sector funding of the project was not visible because “there is no way in the world where railway is constructed by private sector.

    “This is because it is a long time investment and the money will not be recovered in time”.

    The minister said that he had approached the Russian Nexim Bank for funding of any of the rail project.

    Speaking on the 156km Lagos-Ibadan rail project, Amaechi said they were working to meet the December 2018 completion deadline.

    He said upon completion, it would take a speed train of 150km per hour that would travel from Lagos to Ibadan in one hour.

    “We will introduce express train that will take off from either Apapa or Ebute Metta straight to Abeokuta and to Ibadan.

    “We will also introduce train that will stop in all the nine stations to give passengers choices,” he said.

    The minister said that no fewer than 7000 jobs have been created by the Lagos-Ibadan rail project.

    Amaechi said that government had commenced rehabilitation of the narrow gauge to reduce the pressure of cargoes on the road, adding that the challenges on the standard gauge were the track.

    He said the track was moving on slow pace of 15km per hour but upon addressing the challenges on the tracks the speed would increase to the maximum 80km per hour.

    On his part, the information minister said that they embarked on the project inspection to showcase the massive work the Buhari administration had done on infrastructure.

  • Osun: 12 die in road accidents in one month -FRSC

    The Federal Road Safety Command (FRSC) in Osun said 12 persons lost their lives in various road accidents in the state in April.

    The Sector Commander, FRSC in the state, Mr Anthony Oko said on Monday in Osogbo.

    He said that 17 road accidents occurred, involving 114 persons within the same period.

    “The accidents claimed the lives of seven males and five females, due to the reckless attitude of the drivers involved.’’

    “Most of these accidents were caused by speeding, wrongful overtaking, drinking while driving, drug overdose and disobedience to road traffic rules and regulations,” he said.

    The sector commander said that officials of the command educated 156 persons on road traffic regulations and regulations as well as issued license to some drivers.

    Oko cautioned drivers and other road users to keep to rules and regulations, especially on highways, to reduce carnage on road.

    He, however, warned that the command would not hesitate to penalise offenders found guilty of disobeying traffic laws.

    NAN

    Read Also: FRSC advises passengers to caution reckless drivers

  • Secondus, INEC disagree over Ogun PDP crisis

    The leadership crisis rocking the Ogun State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has continued to escalate has following the rejection of Mr. Adebayo Dayo by the national leadership of the PDP.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given recognition to Dayo as the chairman of the Ogun State chapter, but the National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus called the bluff of the electoral body.

    Rather, the Secondus-led national leadership has continued to insist on Mr. Sikirulai Ogundele as the chairman of the state’s chapter. It’s on record that the Dayo-led group was denied participation in the party’s December 9, 2017 national convention.

    INEC had earlier been on the same page with the party’s national leadership with Ogundele as the state’s chairman.

    But the commission, in a letter dated April 12, 2018 and signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Mrs. Augusta Ogakwu said INEC Dayo remained the legally recognised chairman of the chapter.

    Ogakwu cited compliance with a judgment of a Federal High Court in Lagos for the commission’s change of direction.

    INEC had notified the PDP leadership of the judgment in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/1556/2017 delivered on February 9, 2017 as the basis for its latest position.

    But both Secondus and the National Secretary of the PDP, Senator Umar Tsauri, in a reply to the INEC, said the leadership crisis in the Ogun chapter had been resolved in favour of the Ogundele-led group.

    The letter, dated April 20, 2018 and copies of which were made available to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, insisted that the Supreme Court had settled the Ogun chapter crisis and others in the apex court’s July 2, 2017 landmark judgment in the case of PDP VS. Sheriff.

    The letter quoted part of the apex court’s judgment as saying, “It is unfortunate this internal party crisis within the appeallant, has staggered a lot of its anticipated progress. In any case, it is my hope this imrboglio within the appellant will serve as a big lesson to all and sundry”.

    The party leadership therefore asked the INEC to withdraw the recognition it has given the Dayo-led executive in compliance with the judgment of the Supreme Court.

    The party’s letter to INEC stated, “It will therefore amount to an inexplicable vote face and unfortunate summersault if INEC were to withdraw the recogniton of the approved officials of our party in Ogun State, especially the State Executive Committee led by Sikirulai Ogundele.

    “This will certainly throw the party back into avoidable conflict. We believe, this cannot be your intention or wish for our party”.

    But in response, Dayo fired back at Secondus, saying the party chair should not constitute himself into an appeal court in a case already decided by a Federal High Court.

    His letter to the national chairman, dated April 24, 2018, stated, “From all the foregoing, I am honestly amazed and shocked that you lent yourself to write INEC against its lawfully taken position to give recognition to my executive, out of your flagrant disobedience of subsisting court judgments  of which you were corporately (as PDP) a party to the suit.

    “Ridiculously, all your submissions in the letter to INEC were carbon-copy duplication of your solicitor’s submissions to the court before judgment was delivered to which INEC responsibly chose to obey and instructed you in polite administrative terms to comply.

    “Maybe you now wish to sit in appeal over Nigerian high court judgments to interpret to your regulatory body, INEC, which judgment to obey and which not to by your discretion?

    “Aside from this, your unnecessary letter to INEC bore gross misrepresentation of facts and distortion of the issues.

    “Therein it was erroneously claimed that it’s the ‘exclusive right of the NEC’ of our party to determine leaders of the various organs whereas the party constitution is clear on how the ward exco upto the state excos and even through which the said NEC were to emerge.

    “If the NEC has such powers, then what’s the essence of ward, LG and state congresses?

    “Except for the national party officer’s self-serving and undemocratic tampering with the process; the NEC involvement should ideally be purely monitoring and not the egocentric manipulations as is now the case talks less of false claims of exclusive right to determine various organs and exco leaders”.

  • Septuagenarian arrested for defiling teenager in Ogun

    Ogun State Police Command has arrested a septuagenarian, Adefuye Emmanuel Teslim, for sexually abusing a 13- year- old girl at the Parapete area of Ago-Iwoye in Ijebu – North local government area of the state.

    Adefuye reportedly lured the girl to his apartment on Sunday and raped her.

    He also threatened to kill the girl if she disclosed the act to the parents or any other person.

    The command’s spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, who confirmed the alleged case of defilement, said the victim’s mother, Mariam Kareem, reported the incident to the police.

    Abimbola said when the victim could not cope with the pains in her private part due to forceful penetration by the suspect, she informed her mother, who subsequently alerted the police at the Ago-Iwoye Division.

    According to the police spokesman, on the strength of the compliant, the Divisional Police Officer, Ade Adedoyin, led detectives to the suspect and arrested him.

    Abimbola said when the victim was taken to the General Hospital for medical examination and the result confirmed that she had been sexually abused.

    However, the case has been transferred to the Anti- Human Trafficking and Child Labour Unit of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for proper investigation and prosecution of the suspect.

  • Woman dies in Ogun following F- SARS raid – family 

    Palpably frightened and shocked nonagenarian, Madam Bintu Jinadu, of Lajiga family in Makun – Sagamu, Ogun State, has slumped and died following raid on her home by Operatives of the Federal Special Anti – Robbery Squad (F – SARS) from Abuja.

    This was the trigger of a protest by hundreds of women and men who marched to the Palace of the Ewusi of Makun, Sagamu, Oba Timothy Akinsanya, last Saturday, alleging that Bintu Jinadu died of shock shortly after Operatives of the F – SARS from Abuja stormed her home in a commando style, and whisked the son, Abdul Rahman Abdul Kabir, away on the order of a suspected land grabber.

    The nonagenarian was said to have slumped in shock after watching the brutal manner her son was whisked away a week and died days later.

    Two other men – Chief Idowu Sanya and Dauda Owolabi, were also taken away from the town along with Abdul – Rahman.

    Some of their placards read: “Amosun Save from landgrabbers, ” “We Say No to Land Grabbing and Sir Kay Oluwo”; “Killing a Ninety Year Old Mother is a Sacrilege”, “Land Grabbers are Terrorists. Save us Now.”

    The peaceful protest which took off from the Awolowo Market, Sagamu, terminated at the Palace of the Ewusi, Oba Akinsanya.

    Their leader, Jamiu Lajiga, who addressed reporters, declared that the “Makun – Sagamu people, are tired of the nefarious activities of land grabbers” within their territories.

    Jamiu alleged that “many of the notorious land grabbers evicted from Lagos State has, for long, relocated to the Remo towns and villages where they have been terrorizing us forcefully dispossess us  of our family lands.”

    He accused a suspected land grabber popularly referred to as Sir Kay Oluwo, of being responsible for their plights and subsequent death of the 90 years old woman.

    “He is a pain in the neck of the entire people of Makun Sagamu towns and villages,” he said.

    Addressing the crowd, Oba Timothy Akinsanya, sympathized with the victims of what he called “an abominable brutalization of innocent land owners by land grabbers.”

    The monarch urged the protesters to remain peaceful and return to their respective homes and works, while promising to take up the issue earnestly.

    Read Also: Police arraign woman for allegedly stealing 7-month-old baby 

     

  • Banks, others shut as Ijebu-Igbo cult violence escalates

    Two commercial banks, two micro – finance banks and major businesses in Ijebu – Igbo, Ogun State, which opened for businesses by 8am on Monday, hurriedly closed shops an hour or more later following an escalating rival cult violence in the town.

    The banks and other shops in the town had opened for the day for businesses but as gunshot continued to rent the air, panic – stricken residents deserted the streets to avoid being struck by bullets and banks and other business owners also shut down lest hoodlums cash in on the tense situation, to loot, a bank customer told The Nation.

    Already, six persons, including a bricklayer and whose name is yet to be verified, were said to have been gunned down and several others injured in a renewed gun war that erupted between suspected members of rival cult groups in Ijebu – Igbo, Ogun State.

    The gun battle which began around 5:30pm on Sunday at Oke – Sopen road leading to Station bus stop, spilled into Oke – Agbo area and Ojowo, with gunshot booming intermittently all through the night and escalated in the early hours of Monday.

    While four persons were said to have been shot dead and several others wounded during the clash on Sunday evening, two additional persons got killed in a pre – dawn reprisal attacks launched by one of the feuding cult groups.

    There was pandemonium. Residents and visitors scampered to safety in fear and it was learnt that some of the victims were caught in a cross – fire.

    A source in Ijebu – Igbo told The Nation that three persons, believed to be  members of the same family, were killed in front of their father’s house in Ojowo, another killed near the Amazing Graze Petroleum Station while two others were shot dead at Odobalogun – all in Ijebu – Igbo town.

    It was also learnt that a detachment of soldiers, Operatives of the Federal Special Anti – Robbery Squad (F-SARS), Anti – cult unit of the Ogun State Police Command, Anti – Riot Policemen and regular armed policemen deployed in their hundreds to the volatile town since yesterday evening, were sighted on Monday morning  labouring to restore order.

    The Nation gathered that violence erupted between two rival cult groups in Ijebu – Igbo, the Headquarters of the Ijebu North Local Government Area, around 5:10pm shortly after the end of two separate political meetings in the seedy town by an equally rival politicians in Ogun East ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    The Police Public Relations Officer in Ogun State, Abimbola Oyeyemi, who confirmed the cult clash, said the Area Commander, Ijebu Police Area Command, the Divisional Police Officers in Police formations in Ijebuland, Operatives of the Federal Special Anti – Robbery Squad (F-SARS), Anti – cult unit of the Ogun State Police Command, Anti – Riot Policemen and regular armed policemen have all been deployed to the area to restore order.

    Abimbola, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), added that the men had enforced normalcy and advised residents not to panic, assuring that the perpetrators of the violence would be arrested soon.

    Read Also: Breaking: Ijebu – Igbo boils as six die in cult violence

  • Breaking: Ijebu – Igbo boils as six die in cult violence 

    …We’ll restore order, arrest perpetrators of violence – Police

     

     

    Six persons, including a bricklayer and whose name is yet to be verified, were said to have been gunned down and several others injured in a renewed gun war that erupted between suspected members of rival cult groups in Ijebu – Igbo, Ogun State.

    The gun battle which began around 5:30pm on Sunday at Oke – Sopen road leading to Station bus stop, spilled into Oke – Agbo area and Ojowo, with gunshot booming intermittently all through the night and escalating in the early hour of Monday.

    While four persons were said to have been shot dead and several wounded during the clash on Sunday evening, two others got killed in a pre – dawn reprisal attacks launched by one of the feuding cult groups.

    There was pandemonium. Residents and visitors scampered to safety in fear and it was learnt that some of the victims were caught in a cross – fire.

    A source in Ijebu – Igbo told The Nation that three persons, believed to be members of the same family, were killed in front of their father’s house in Ojowo, another killed near the Amazing Graze Petroleum Station while two others were shot dead at Odobalogun – all in Ijebu – Igbo town.

    It was also learnt that a detachment of soldiers, Operatives of the Federal Special Anti – Robbery Squad(F-SARS), Anti – cult unit of the Ogun State Police Command, Anti – Riot Policemen and regular armed policemen deployed in their hundreds to the volatile town since yesterday evening, were sighted this morning  labouring to restore order.

    The Nation gathered that violence erupted between two rival cult groups in Ijebu – Igbo, the Headquarters of the Ijebu North Local Government Area, around 5:10pm shortly after the  end of two deparate political meetings in the seedy town by an equally rival politicians in Ogun East ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    The Police Public Relations Officer in Ogun State, Abimbola Oyeyemi, who confirmed the cult clash, said the Area Commander, Ijebu Police Area Command, the Divisional Police Officers in Ijebuland,

    Operatives of the Federal Special Anti – Robbery Squad(F-SARS), Anti – cult unit of the Ogun State Police Command, Anti – Riot Policemen and regular armed policemen have have all been deployed the area  to restore order.

    Abimbola, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), added that normalcy had returned and advised people not to panic; assuring that the perpetrators of the violence would be arrested soon.

    Read Also: Three die, 10 injured in Ijebu -Ode-Ore expressway accident

  • Easter: TRACE commences Operation Safety Patrol

    Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), says it has commenced Operation Safety Patrol for Easter to ensure safety of lives and property in the state.

    Mr Seni Ogunyemi, TRACE Corps Commander, made the disclosure on Wednesday, in a statement in Ota, Ogun.

    Ogunyemi said that the traffic agency had deployed 350 personnel, 23 patrol vehicles and 20 tow trucks to cover the state before, during and after the Easter.

    “The exercise is to ensure effective traffic management in all the nooks and crannies of the state, especially at diversion points where re-constructions are going on,” he said.

    He explained that TRACE would collaborate with other sister agencies to ensure timely clearance of obstruction, prompt rescue and emergency services.

    Ogunyemi further stated that the exercise would involve all road users through the TRACE traffic whistle blower initiative, TRACE emergency traffic service and its community traffic management scheme.

    He reminded the people that safety on road was a collective responsibility of all road users.

    While felicitating with Christians on the occasion  the TRACE boss urged them to reflect on the reason for the season.

    Ogunyemi also implored motorists to be safety conscious and ensure strict compliance to traffic rules and regulations.

    He said any contravention of traffic rules during the celebration would lead to such vehicle impounded, adding that it would not be released until April 9.

    The TRACE boss advised members of the public to call the following numbers, 07069245555, 08101792333 and 07034110281, in case of emergency or feedback calls.

     

  • Ogun goes tough on traffic offenders

    Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) has declared a total war against the traffic offenders across the state.

    It has apprehended no fewer than 91 motorcycles and dispatched traders displaying their goods on the roads causing obstructions mainly in Abeokuta,  the state capital, in an operation tagged: “Task Force Special Operation.”

    The operation focused on clearing road obstructions for free flow of traffic to ensure that sanity return back to the roads during and after the Easter celebration.

    The offenders were apprehended at Panseke, Ibara under Bridge, Omida, Sapon, MTD Ibara and Iyana Mortuary for offences ranging from non-usage of helmets,  driving against traffic, disobedience to traffic lights and signs and road obstructions.

    While addressing reporters after the flag-off of the exercise, the TRACE Commander Olaseni Ogunyemi, said disobedience of traffic rules by road users is the major cause of incessant crashes adding that the agency would not relent in its public enlightenment campaign and enforcement until habitual attitude of road users towards the bad usage of roads is curbed.

    He said the operation would be a continuous exercise during the Easter celebration and beyond, adding that the corps had deployed its officers to major roads within the state for full enforcement of traffic laws during the festive period.

    He said the TRACE would have zero tolerance for indiscipline on the part of road users, saying anyone caught disobeying traffic rules and regulations would be forced to undergo psychiatric evaluation tests and prosecuted.