Tag: Ogun state

Residents of Oko-Filling, a quiet neighborhood in the Araromi area of Ijoko, Sango Ota, have rescued a man who was gagged and left for dead by his wife and children over a dispute regarding his retirement benefits.

The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of Thursday, March 13, at the family’s residence.

Trouble began when the man allegedly refused to hand over his entire retirement benefits to his wife and four sons. After receiving his payout, he reportedly opened two shops for his wife at Abule and gave her N3 million. He also purchased a vehicle worth N12 million for himself, considering that the family already owned a house in the community.

However, his wife and sons—all of whom are graduates—were allegedly dissatisfied with the way the money was shared and sought to extract more from him.

The situation escalated when the man sold the vehicle shortly after purchasing it, raising suspicions among neighbors.

A landlord in the area, who spoke to The Nation, said the man was later found inside his home with his mouth, hands, and feet bound.

“He was tied like an animal to be slaughtered. They (his wife and kids) got some Aboki men, about six of them to tie him up. It was the strange noise from their parking that alerted residents who gathered in front of the house to know what was happening.

“Landlords in the area who could not endure the noise at that hour, decided to go out and find out what was wrong. When they got to his compound, they saw a Korope (small bus) outside packing properties.

“His wife and sons were the ones packing and so, the residents asked after the man. When the response given was not satisfactory, they forced themselves inside the house and saw the man completely bound with the Aboki people still inside the house, as though they were waiting to kill him.

“The man was untied and rushed to the hospital. He’s still at the hospital receiving treatment. The suspects were all taken to the police station. One of the Aboki men confessed it was the man’s wife that contracted them to tie him up. They were all taken to the police station that morning,” said the landlord.

Similarly, an audio message recorded by the chairman of the Anjomo Community Development Association (CDA), Emmanuel Omola, corroborated the information from the landlord.

According to Omola, the woman had gone to the police station to report that her husband wanted to kill her.

He said: “The evening of 12th March, the wife went to the police station to report that her husband wanted to kill her. The police told her to go and get a bus to convey the policemen to her house to arrest her husband. She left the station and didn’t return. 

“By the time she got to the neighbourhood, she went inside the house with some Aboki to tie the man and when they started packing the belongings, that was when the neighbours heard noise and that was what made them all gather there. 

“By the time they got there, they saw that the children had come with a small bus (Korope) and they had packed loads there and were leaving.

“The residents entered the house and they met Aboki there and saw the man tied. The Aboki and the owner of the tricycle that conveyed them there confessed that it was the wife that called them.”

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Omola advised people to always ask questions whenever they hear unusual noise in their surroundings.

“We shouldn’t be nonchalant about it, let us respond quickly. If not that the landlords responded fast, I believe the Abokis that were brought into that house wanted to kill that man, that’s what they have been told to do. 

“So, if we hear noises in our neighbour’s house, we shouldn’t say it doesn’t concern us, just a swift response can save lives. If not that the landlords in the neighborhood went out, the man would have died. 

“Now, the man is in the hospital, they said his penis is swollen. His wife, children and the Aboki are in the police station.

“Those of you who receive pension, know how you tell your family. I think the pension the man received is what almost led to his death.”

Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Ogun State, CSP Omolola Odutola, said the incident was yet to be brought to her attention.

Pilgrims to Israel from Ogun State have been charged to steer clear from actions that could bring the image of the state to disrepute while in the Holy Land.

The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, gave the charge on Wednesday during a farewell message to the intending pilgrims at the Obas Complex, Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Abiodun, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tokunbo Talabi, urged them to fear God in all their dealings as they performed the spiritual exercise.

The governor also admonished them to pray for the administration of Prince Dapo Abiodun to lift the state higher than how it was met, and the nation as well, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He stated that “pilgrimage is not just for the tour but for a spiritual journey” and emphasized that as a praying state that believes and holds unto God, the official assignment of the pilgrims was to “truly seek the face of God, pray, and intercede on behalf of the State”.

Also, the Deputy Chief of Staff, Dr. Oluwatoyin Taiwo, advised them to be security conscious and be their brother’s keeper during the exercise.

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“You are our representatives in the Holy Land. Pray for our dear state in particular and Nigeria as a whole.” Taiwo said

He charged them to be law-abiding so as not to endanger or jeopardize the image of the State.

Earlier in his address, the Executive Secretary of the State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Mr. Oduyemi Ibiyemi, thanked Governor Abiodun for making funds available for Christians to embark on the holy assignment, adding that even with the countless projects across the State, “Governor Abiodun still made funds available for the pilgrimage”.

Ibiyemi promised that the pilgrims would not engage in anything untoward throughout their stay in the Holy Land.

 A total of 101 pilgrims from the State, made up of 54 men and 47 women, are expected to undertake the holy pilgrimage

The Chairman of Odogbolu Local Government in Ogun State, Dr. Babatunde Diya, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving the well-being of residents through enhanced health care, education and infrastructure development.

He announced plans to scale up health care access in the local government by enrolling 2,000 in health insurance scheme under the initiative of ‘Iwosan Tunde’.

Diya unveiled the scheme during the celebration of his first 100 days in office.

The event, held at Mobalufon Hall, featured free medical services, including screenings for malaria, hypertension and blood sugar level, with medications given to beneficiaries.

He said his administration remained focused on complementing Governor Dapo Abiodun’s efforts to deliver quality governance at the grassroots.

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Highlighting his administration’s achievements so far,  Diya listed beginning of the first of its kind Stakeholder Engagement in developing Odogbolu Local Government Master Plan; Revitalisation of Primary Healthcare centres; a $16m Waste-to-Wealth initiative; signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Morton Energy to install a 5MW Sustainable Energy Power Grid rolled out in phases to electrify specific rural areas cut off from the National Grid; inauguration of boreholes at Ikosa and Aiyepe-Eyinwa, among others.

“Our goal is to screen 5,000 residents and enrol at least 2,000 of them in  Ogun State Health Insurance Scheme under the Ministry of Health,” he stated.

The chairman noted that every resident of Odogbolu now has access to quality healthcare, a key priority of his administration.

 The District 404 A3 Nigeria chapter of Lions Club  International has hosted its annual district three-day convention  in Shagamu, Ogun State.

 The event was an opportunity for the clubs to give back to the community. Several projects were undertaken, including feeding the hungry, where food packs were distributed to the people of Shagamu.

 Additionally, some clubs provided training for locals in adire and batik production at the parade ground.

 This move was aimed at staying true to the Lions Clubs’ commitment to humanitarian service as the parade provided an opportunity for community outreach.

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 Speaking at the event, District Governor, Lion Folasade Shotomide reiterated the core values of Lions Clubs International, emphasising the organisation’s commitment to its eight cardinal programs, which include vision, hunger relief, pediatric cancer, and environmental sustainability.

 She called for increased partnerships with corporate entities, philanthropists, government agencies, and traditional institutions to expand their reach and bring greater relief to those in need. Chairman of the Convention Committee, Lion Kola Oyekanmi, commended the relentless efforts of Lions Clubs members in bringing hope and support to underserved communities.

He thanked the people of Shagamu for their hospitality.

Ogun State, Nigeria’s leading investment destination, is set to benefit significantly as JBS, the world’s largest protein producer from Brazil, has expressed interest in investing $2.5 billion in Nigeria’s livestock subsector.

Wesley Batista, the controlling shareholder of JBS, revealed this during a visit to Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, at his office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, on Sunday. 

The delegation was led by the controlling shareholder of EMN, Mr. John Coumantaros.

Batista described Nigeria as Africa’s economic hub with vast human and natural resources. 

He emphasized the country’s potential and reiterated JBS’s commitment to leveraging its expertise in livestock production to enhance Nigeria’s agricultural economy.

He said: “We have been talking and learning about Nigeria. We had the privilege to meet the Nigerian delegation in Brazil when President Bola Tinubu visited our country. We see Nigeria as the hub of Africa with a very large population.

“Though it is our first time in Nigeria, we feel that we have a lot of similarities between Brazil and Nigeria. We have a very good impression so far about Nigeria and Nigerians.

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“We are serious about coming to Nigeria to invest in beef, pork, chicken, among others. We see growth prospects in Nigeria and what Nigerian leaders are doing in encouraging investors to come and make significant investments here. We can bring our knowledge and expertise to bear in Nigeria’s economy.”

Giving a brief background of the company, Mr. Wesley Batista disclosed that it started in 1953 with slaughtering one cow per day and grew to 600 heads of cattle in one beef plant per day in 1957, becoming the largest beef player in Brazil in the 1990s.

“In the beginning of 2000, we started looking for opportunities to go beyond Brazil, and in 2005, we started in Argentina, and in 2007, we went to the United States and Australia. JBS is our biggest business under our holding company,” he added.

Batista said the organization currently has a revenue of about $75bn and 280,000 direct members who operate hundreds of facilities across Brazil, the USA, Mexico, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Italy, and France, among others.

According to the Controlling Shareholder, the company processes 80,000 heads of cattle, 15 million chickens, about 25,000 heads of lamb per day, and also produces packaged products like sausages and bacon, while they also hold interests in other sectors like energy, the paper-producing industry, banking and finance, as well as soap and toiletries.

Giving a brief about the State titled “Unlocking the Future of Livestock Processing and Other Opportunities,” Governor Abiodun said the state, with more than 16,000 square kilometers, offers an ideal location for investments as it provides unique connections to the 17 southern states as well as the northern parts of the country.

“We have provided, in terms of infrastructure, 1,000 kilometers of highways and the best-constructed airport in Nigeria, specially dedicated to agro imports and exports.

“We are number one in non-oil, as two-thirds of the state sits on limestone. Our state is the third-largest producer of cement in Africa, trailing behind Morocco, which is second, and Egypt, which is first.

“The State also has gold, silica, bitumen, and others which are too numerous to mention. We have gas reticulation more than any other state. There are two major gas pipelines that crisscross our state,” he stated.

Governor Abiodun noted that Ogun is going into power generation and distribution, assuring that industries and companies that operate in the State would have access to the cheapest power supply in the country.

On the acquisition of land, the governor said it has been made seamless as land title documents would be made ready within 30 days, assuring that his administration has invested significantly in security to guarantee the safety of lives and properties of those who live and work in the State.

While assuring that his administration would collaborate with the government of President Bola Tinubu to ensure food sufficiency and security, Governor Abiodun said efforts would be made to reduce food scarcity and inflation in the State and country.

He lauded the company for rising from humble beginnings to become the largest protein producer in the world, saying his administration is looking forward to seeing the company establish itself in the State.

The leader of the delegation, John Coumantaros, in his remarks, applauded the governor for opening up the State in the area of infrastructure, which he noted has pushed up investments and brought more development to the State.

He said President Tinubu’s administration has set forth on changing the macro conditions of the country where everything works properly by embarking on the development of infrastructure corridors from East to West and North to South, adding that the JBS group was in the State to assess its viability for investment.

“Tinubu has made it possible to attract investors like this, and Governor Abiodun is here to make the program possible because protein is critical for the growth of Nigeria, building modern slaughterhouses, establishing piggery and poultry farms, and going back to see how we can produce maize and soya beans of good yields and its value chain from farm to customers, making the ecosystem beneficial to the growth of the country and the entire Gross Domestic Product,” he noted.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Aisha Rimi, on her part, said the meeting is a follow-up to the technical team sent by the company to assess the potentials of the State for investment, adding that the company is ready to invest $2.5bn in the next five years in livestock, and Ogun State would be one of the States to benefit.

The Ogun State Ministry of Culture and Tourism has expressed its readiness to partner with the Wakanow.com group in the development of the State’s Tourism sector.

Commissioner for Culture and Tourism,  Sesan Fagbayi stated this while hosting the Chief Executive Officer of Wakanow.com, Mr. Bayo Adedeji, and his crew on an assessment tour to the state tourism sites for possible partnerships in the tourism sector.

While receiving the delegation at his office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Fagbayi lauded the delegation for recognising Ogun State and its tourism potential.

He stated that the essence of the visit was to showcase the tourism potential to investors willing to invest in the state.

“During the tour, kindly let us know your views and thoughts on the sites visited and let us know wherever you want to partner with the state, the next step is to meet with the higher authority for collaboration, and we promise to work with you,” he stated.

On his part, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Yusuff Quudus said the State is blessed with a lot of tourism potentials which the delegation would tour for possible partnership.

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 Yusuff added that tourism development should not be left to the government alone but a collective responsibility for individuals and organizations. He opined on possible collaboration on Beach Resort at Ode Omi or Epe axis of the state as well as travel reservations and bookings.

 Responding, Adedeji emphasised the importance of affinity among the Yoruba tribe for investment and the need for action beyond words to move Nigerian and economic potentials forward through investment.

 Adedeji highlighted the importance of removing roadblocks and self-interest in making deals beneficial for all parties involved emphasising the need for fair deals and reiterated the commitment of its group for significant economic growth.

 Sites visited included Golf Course Oke-Mosan, Olumo Rock, June 12 Cultural Centre, Old Governors’ office at Oke-Ilewo, all in Abeokuta, and Yemoji Natural Swimming Pool in Ijebu-Ode.