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Tag: Ogun

  • Woman murdered in Ogun

    Woman murdered in Ogun

    • Husband, community demand justice

    A 35-year-old woman, Olubukonla Adebanjo, has been murdered in the Iwesi area of Ijari, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.
    Sources alleged that the victim went to buy food items and was attacked by gunmen in the early hours of Saturday.
    The victim’s husband, Mr. Olaoluwa Adebanjo, said he got a distress call from neighbours about the inciden but upon arriving at the scene, he found his wife in the pool of her blood.
    He said: “One of my neighbours called me and informed me of an urgent life-and-death issue. I tried calling my wife, but someone else answered; it was the woman she had gone to buy something from. She told me to come quickly because my wife was on the ground. When I arrived on our street, I found my wife dead on the ground with the police already at the scene. They were waiting for me to identify the body before they could take her to the mortuary.”
    Adebanjo lamented that he was heartbroken about his wife’s tragic death. “I would be glad if the culprit is found as soon as possible because my wife must not die in vain,” he said.
    The deceased is survived by a four-year-old child.
    One of his neighbours, Pastor Fidelis Elekwachi expressed his displeasure over the killing, noting previous incidents of armed robbery, burglary, assault, and sometimes even murder in the area.
    “Before this incident, on Thursday, we experienced a burglary at a barber shop in the area where clippers, generators, and other things were stolen,” Elekwachi said, adding: “The day before the burglary, there was an armed robbery at a shop where phones and other valuable items were taken at gunpoint.”
    Elekwachi urged the state Police to tighten security in the area as such incidents are becoming commonplace and endangering residents’ lives.

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    The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Omolola Odutola, confirmed the incident. She stated how the police responded to a distress call from the victim’s neighbor.
    According to SP Odutola, the victim was attacked with a machete by an unknown assailant who fled when pursued. Law enforcement dispatched officers to the scene, where they gathered evidence and took photographs.
    She confirmed that the victim, Oluwabusola, was rushed to Ijebu Ode General Hospital for urgent medical attention but was pronounced dead upon arrival.
    SP Odutola assured the public of a thorough investigation, stating that every effort would be made to apprehend the perpetrator.

  • Beyond Steez: Ogun’s paradox of grandeur, deathly roads

    Beyond Steez: Ogun’s paradox of grandeur, deathly roads

    Ogun State, a land of rich heritage and promising horizons, finds itself ensnared in a paradox that both baffles and infuriates. Picture Governor Dapo Abiodun, resplendent in his regalia at the 2024 Ojude Oba festival, basking in the cultural splendour of Ijebu Ode while his constituents navigated a labyrinth of deathly roads to partake in the festivities. This striking contrast—between the pomp of tradition and the grim reality of infrastructure decay—calls for an urgent reassessment of priorities.

    But who cares? The show must go on. Thus, the pageantry persisted through filth and foul. The Ojude Oba festival, while a magnificent celebration of culture, highlights a glaring disconnect. How can such grandeur coexist with abysmal neglect? Participants travelled from near and far, braving the perilous roads to celebrate, their plight akin to the proverbial prodigals who weep outwardly but laugh inwardly. This spectacle underscores the chasm between leadership and the led.

    Consider another paradox in the recently completed Gateway International Airport – supposedly a symbol of progress and ambition. The facility is purportedly built for cargo and passenger flights, while the other zones within the Aerotropolis are marked for concession.

    The Commissioner for Finance and Chief Economic Adviser to Ogun State, Dapo Okubadejo, recently revealed that the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has almost tripled from N50 billion in 2020 to almost N150 billion in 2023, thereby ranking Ogun 3rd in IGR drive.

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    Okubadejo was enthused about the proposed Kajola Dry Container Port, which is meant to provide efficient and cost-effective operations for manufacturing companies. He also stated that the state had initiated discussions with the Lagos State Government to extend their Blue Line and Red Line rail networks into the state. Okubadejo, who disclosed this at the 2024 K.P.M.G. Alumni cocktail in Lagos, said with over 6,000 industries and over 500 km of roads constructed alongside six Economic Development Clusters (E.D.C.), Ogun is the investors’ destination of choice,

    Yet, the very roads leading to this gateway of commerce are pocked with craters, turning journeys into treacherous odysseys. The irony is palpable: a state that boasts of industrial and aeronautical advancements cannot guarantee safe passage on its terrestrial routes.

    Will Governor Abiodun ignore the decline of Ogun’s major highways, where decay and death spit venom at hapless citizenry like Siamese cobras daily?

    Once a proud artery of connectivity, the old Lagos-Abeokuta expressway has degenerated into a death trap, claiming lives with ruthless regularity. Commuters dread its lethal stretches and hazardous bypasses, where every journey is a gamble with fate.

    Ignorance is never an excuse for denying the citizenry good governance and fundamental human rights, like access to good and safe roads. It is never “politically expedient” to neglect a class of the governed just because, by will or circumstance, they inhabit parts of the state the ruling class would rather not lose sleep over, except at the time of election or re-election.

    Highway communities like Owode Ijako, Owode Iyana Ilogbo, Ewekoro, Lafenwa, Iyana Iyesi, and Itele are mired in misery, their hopes for development dashed by neglect. The recent outcry from residents of Ijere, Pakuro, Magbon, and other communities in the Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area over the deplorable state of their roads echoes across the state. They yearn for the basic infrastructure that remains a distant dream.

    Now in his second term, Governor Abiodun must resist the hubristic complacency that often plagues re-elected leaders. This is not the time for regal indifference. He must transcend the chorus of sycophantic aides and confront the stark reality of Ogun’s infrastructural failures lest his inaction and mistakes deny him of an enduring legacy.

    Save an empty promise made by Abiodun in the early days of his administration that he and his Lagos State counterpart, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had gotten approval from the federal government to repair the highway and earn a toll from it; nothing has been done to rehabilitate the treacherous stretch.

    Abiodun must learn from the failure of his predecessor, Ibikunle Amosun, who neglected the dangerous state of the Lagos-Ibadan highway simply because it was a federal road. The world would never forget in a hurry the poor, helpless souls that thrashed out and gave their final gasps in grotesque, bloody accidents on the road on Amosun’s watch.

    Omolade Ogunnoiki, 17, was a 100 Level History student at Olabisi Onabanjo University (O.O.U.). Together with her friend, Funmilayo Pampam, 18, and Olatunji Dairo, a 2014 Physics graduate of O.O.U., she was crushed to death when a truck carrying an unlatched container and their Lagos-bound passenger bus on the Ilishan- Sagamu highway in Ogun State.

    In a bid to avoid inadequate portions on the road, the driver of the truck reportedly drove against the traffic until its container fell off its hinges, crushing the students, the bus driver and nine other undergraduates to death. The deceased probably nursed dreams of greatness. Those dreams lie six feet under red earth now.

    On Monday, July 1, Governor Abiodun trended on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) for his inability to rid Ogun of bad roads. Images of the state’s derelict roads flooded timelines, accompanied by scathing critiques of Abiodun’s broken promises. One poignant post read: “In 2020, when Dapo Abiodun was looking for votes, he said to us on X that he was fixing a few roads listed in his tweets. Here is the condition of some of the roads in his tweet. He fix am abi him no fix am? I will allow you to judge.”

    On the night of Tuesday, July 2, social media and major news sites buzzed with the outrage of citizens over the abduction of about 20 commuters on the Sagamu-Ijebu-Ode highway. In the grim episode, gunmen abducted three Indian nationals and several Nigerian travellers, exploiting the road’s dilapidated state to execute their crime. Such incidents are not isolated; kidnappers lurk around Ogun’s crumbling highways, preying on innocent travellers. The governor’s recent call for security operatives to hunt these criminals is commendable, but the root cause—deplorable infrastructure—remains unaddressed.

    This writer harbours no personal resentment for Governor Abiodun but holds an unwavering desire to see him rise to the occasion. Hence, exuberant ‘influencers’ and apologists of the state governor may digest this cautiously; would they defend him unquestioningly if they had lost their loved ones on Ogun’s bad roads?

    Nonetheless, fanatical apologists would argue that Abiodun has done right by Ogun State. Anthony Storr, a late British writer and psychiatrist, would term this one of the many delusions that render the continual neglect of the state’s highways and dirt roads justifiable for Abiodun’s zealots and, as such, defensible against admonishment and reason.

    People are dying on Ogun roads. It’s about time Governor Abiodun heeded the cries of his constituents. If he were the people’s messiah, he wouldn’t ignore the death traps on Ijoko, Agoro, Ijako, Iyana-Ilogbo, Ilepa, Lafenwa and Itele roads. He would stop ignoring the bloody ravines dotting Alade, Elekunmefa, Imise, Onihale, Singer, and Iju, to mention a few. At Toll-gate junction, Joju, Temidire, and environ, mucky pools still stagnate in perilous craters along the bypasses because these scenes of deadly accidents are inconsequential to Governor Abiodun.

    This is not just about infrastructure; it is about the lives and livelihoods of his people. Perhaps Governor Abiodun would answer as the humane, proactive administrator he professes to be and save commuters in Ogun State from untimely death.

  • Ogun orders security agencies to launch manhunt for expressway kidnapping perpetrators

    Ogun orders security agencies to launch manhunt for expressway kidnapping perpetrators

    Governor Dapo Abiodun has directed security agencies to launch a massive manhunt for the perpetrators behind the Sunday night kidnapping of travellers near Ilisan City Gate along the Sagamu-Ore expressway.

    Reports indicate that no fewer than 20 travellers were kidnapped around the Area Command and Ilisan City Gate at about 9 p.m.

    The gunmen ambushed them on the busy expressway.

    Security sources suggest the incident may have been an insider job, as all the victims were foreign nationals who had arrived in the country the same day, possibly trailed to the kidnapping location.

    In a statement issued on Tuesday, July 2, Governor Abiodun asserted that Ogun state will not become a haven for kidnappers and promised that the culprits would be apprehended and punished. The governor announced that all security agencies, including the police, army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Amotekun, So-Safe Corps, and local hunters, are on the trail of the kidnappers, employing a range of security gadgets, including drones.

    Read Also: Sanwo-Olu: we’ll arrest kidnappers of Fouani brothers

    He assured the people that their security is guaranteed as the present administration has committed so much to secure the state.

    “Following Sunday’s kidnapping incident that occurred in Ilishan, we want to reassure all residents that decisive action is being taken to apprehend the perpetrators and ensure the safe return of the victims.

    “The security forces have launched a comprehensive manhunt and are working tirelessly to track down the kidnappers. Additional security measures and patrols have also been deployed to the affected area and across the state to prevent any further incidents.

    “We understand the concerns and anxiety this incident has caused, but we want to emphasize that Ogun State remains a safe place to live, work, and visit. The government is committed to maintaining law and order and will not relent in its efforts to protect the lives and property of all citizens,” Abiodun said.

  • Propelling Ogun industrial growth through infrastructure signature

    Propelling Ogun industrial growth through infrastructure signature

    • Femi Ogbonnikan

    IT is the desire of every government at any level to grow the economy for the improved welfare of the citizenry. However, not all those elected into public office have the right strategy to achieve their aspirations. Some came unprepared for the job. As such, they spend their time learning the ropes. 

    Before coming into the saddle, Prince Dapo Abiodun had a clear vision of taking Ogun State to the next level of sustainable economic growth focusing on road infrastructure as a catalyst for industrial transformation. Already, so much has been said about the network of roads under the administration. This has turned Ogun State into the preferred destination of choice for investors. Today, the state can boast of no less than 6000 industries, including the largest cement factories in Nigeria, producing the highest tons of cement. These include Lafarge, Dangote as well as others that are just springing up.

    The state is equally the home of industrial giants like Nestle, Cadbury, Unilever, May & Baker, International Breweries, Olams, Flour Mills, and a host of others. Already, there is also a projection that the ongoing industrial zone will create between 30,000 and 50,000 new jobs with multiplier effects on the state economy and the country at large. As a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement between the state government and private companies, the industrial zone has been chosen as an economic hub with partnerships in different parts of the sub-region, Ivory Coast, Garbon, Togo, Republic of Benin, and so on.

    With this feat, one cannot say that Governor Abiodun is reinventing the wheel. What he is doing differently as against the policies of his predecessors is the priority placed on the creation of an enabling environment for industrial growth through aggressive road infrastructures, security, and land reforms, among others. There is a nexus between roads and industrial growth. The two are mutually reinforcing. Roads not only enhance connectivity among communities but also extend trade and network. It equally helps in rapid industrialisation, increases employment opportunities, boosts interstate connectivity, and promotes even development. 

    For those conversant with history, roads, canals, and railways were three major components of transportation improved during the first industrial revolution. People used the roads as the basic way to transport goods from one place to another.

    The trajectory of growth under the Abiodun administration follows the same pattern. And it is the reason the state has emerged as one of the three leading most economically viable states in the country.  

    In so far as the network of road projects is concerned, Governor Abiodun has left his imprints in the sand of time. Through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative, he has successfully transformed the state’s infrastructure landscape. Today, over 500 kilometres of roads have been constructed across the state to ease the movement of goods and persons. Apart from internal connectivity, priority has also been given to the highways that connect Ogun with neighbouring states, particularly Lagos.

    As a result, people can now travel between Lagos and Ogun State in less than an hour for a journey that would hitherto take two or three hours or even more before the advent of the present administration. More and more people are now coming to Ogun State to live, to work, and to hold conferences because of easy accessibility.

    Other than roads, the real game changer is the construction of the Gateway Agro-Cargo International Airport billed to commence flight operations anytime from now. Though a capital-intensive project, the Airport was built in a record-breaking short period of two years, making it the fastest to be constructed ever in the history of this country. It recorded the first historic flight landing sometime last year. As already projected, the Airport will begin scheduled and non-scheduled flights any time from now, as the approval process to get the airport running has reached an advanced stage.

    Read Also: Footballer slumps, dies during Oke-Ogun competition

    To give a further boost to the industrial transformation initiative of the administration, the Governor has expressed interest in acquiring the Hydro Power Plant situated at the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority to facilitate the availability of energy for investors in the state. The Governor revealed this during a meeting with the new Managing Director and CEO of the Ogun Osun River Basin Development Authority, Engr. Adedeji Ashiru and his management team.

    Abiodun emphasized the significance of revitalizing the long-abandoned Hydro Power Plant to attract sufficient energy for business interests in the state. He highlighted the potential for the state to become a hub for industrial activities by ensuring affordable energy costs through this acquisition.

    He had this to say: “We are aware there is a Hydro Power Plant that is installed in the river basin for several years. It was a Federal Government initiative. As a state government, we have expressed interest in the acquisition of that Hydro Power Plant.

    “It is almost obsolete by now. Only God knows the level of vandalization, but we believe that if it is transferred to us as a state government, I think they’ve already spoken to the OEM, the original equipment manufacturer and we can jointly look at how to ensure that not only do we resuscitate it, but actually expand it.

    “You are aware that we are the industrial capital of Nigeria and electricity is a key enabler in the industrial revolution and one of the visions we have as a state government is to ensure that Ogun State becomes one of the states if not the state where the cost of energy will be the cheapest.

    “I believe that if we are able to acquire this Hydro Power Plant, it will go a long way to supporting the actualisation of our vision.”

    Governor Abiodun further acknowledged the importance of effective management of the river basin in controlling flooding, particularly in areas like Ibafo, Isheri, and Kara. He disclosed plans to engage consultants to address the recurring flooding challenges and enhance water resource management.

    “As a state government, we are looking at engaging consultants to recommend to us what we can do to ensure that this perennial recurrent problem is finally resolved.

    “I am sure you also know that the management of that river basin is also very key to the control of flooding in Ogun State.

    “The water table rises and falls. The areas between Kara, Mowe, Ibafo, Isheri North have in the recent times been flooded that many people cannot even access their homes.

    “We have called the attention of the Ministers of Water Resources, Humanitarian and a few other ministers have come here to look into what are the immediate causes, what can be done to manage the situation in the immediate and the long term,” he added.

    As a major stakeholder in the renewed economic integration among South West states, Abiodun stressed the need for collaborative efforts to leverage the Basin Authority’s resources for agricultural development and food security initiatives in the region. “This River Basin is also very fundamental to agriculture and food security. This is an area that is extremely important to the President and his Renewed Hope agenda.

    “As a state government, we are looking forward to working with you collaboratively to ensure that we tap into the advantage of having you and having the Basin Authority in this state to ensure that it becomes a resource that will catalyse the agricultural program we are currently implementing and our food security initiatives.

    “Through that River Basin Authority, we can ensure that there is adequate water supply for our farmers that are either upstream or downstream from the dam,” Abiodun enthused.

    In his remarks, Ashiru said that the basin under his watch would enhance water resources management, promote agriculture, and also support infrastructure development within the region.

    Development effort without security is nothing. Concerned with adequate protection of lives and property, the Abiodun administration has been able to tackle the challenges of insecurity by equipping security agencies with modern gadgets and patrol vehicles. With the establishment of the Security Trust Fund, the state has procured relevant security gadgets, including drones, for security agencies in the state, while also augmenting the allowances and living conditions of security personnel to enhance security and safety in the state.

    In return of these gestures, Governor Abiodun has acknowledged the effort of the Nigeria Police Force in securing lives and properties in the state. He gave commendation to the state police command when he received the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of the South West region, Mr. Abiodun Alabi, who was in his office on a courtesy call.

    He said police personnel in the state had been up and doing in the discharge of their constitutional roles in collaboration with other sister agencies. “We have enjoyed the cooperation of the police. Their collaboration with other security agencies including the Army, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) and of course our Amotekun has led to the peaceful atmosphere that we enjoy and this has also encouraged investors to come and do business in our state.”

    The Governor also lauded the collaborative efforts of the Ogun, Oyo and Lagos state commands in tackling criminal activities, particularly on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, stating that this had brought down the rate of criminality in that corridor.

    He applauded DIG Alabi for touring the region to see how his men were faring and how they relate with the people. He commended the Inspector General of Police (Dr Kayode Egbetokun) for his support and the Commissioner of Police (Mr Abiodun Alamutu) for doing a wonderful job in the State.

    In his remark, DIG Alabi said there was the need for interface with relevant stakeholders to ensure effective community policing in the country, adding that his visit was in line with the directive of the IGP for the six DIGs to tour their regions to assess security situation and come up with strategies to deal with such. He thanked Governor Abiodun for always supporting the force, even as he pledged the readiness of his men to up their game and provide the State with the needed security.

    Despite all these, the Governor has promised not let his guard down. What’s more! He has said that his administration has awarded contract for the reconstruction of the 63km Ado-Odo/Abeokuta expressway road. He disclosed this during the commissioning of Ilaro -Iwoye-Owode road in Yewa South Local Government Area.

    He said the reconstruction of the road was part of his administration’s efforts to address the infrastructural deficit in the State. He described the road as the second busiest in the country, adding that when completed, it would allow for the evacuation of goods and services from the axis through the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to other parts of the country.

    He said construction work had commenced on the Sagamu-Papalanto road, while that of Papalanto to Ilaro remained on course. “We have just awarded the Ado-Odo/Abeokuta road. It will be the most expensive road this administration has reconstructed. It is 63 kilometres.

    “That road is the second busiest road in the country and extremely important to the economy of Yewaland, Ogun Central, and the entire Ogun State.

    “From our industrial capital of Ado-Odo/Ota, it allows you to evacuate goods and services through that road to the hinterland. Those in Ado-Odo/Ota will go on that road through Papalanto, link the interchange and you are there on Lagos-Ibadan expressway,” he stated.

    Development is forever a work in progress. Thought the state might not have reached the desired destination envisaged by the Abiodun administration, there is assurance that things will progressively get better as the state marches on in its drive for economic prosperity. Yes, the best has yet to come.

    • Ogbonnikan writes from Abeokuta, Ogun State capital
  • Ogun governor’s Executive Order to protect state’s mineral resources

    Ogun governor’s Executive Order to protect state’s mineral resources

    Ogun State Government has said Governor Dapo Abiodun’s Executive Order creating a mineral resources agency is aimed at protecting resources in the state and entrenching decency and sanity in the sector, for the good of the citizens.

    It said the agency was set up for mineral identification, geological mapping of the state and data banking, in line with item 39 of the exclusive legislative list regulating mining in Nigeria.

    Special Adviser to Governor Abiodun on Media and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, giving further clarification on the restraining order of the government on mining mineral resources in the state, yesterday, noted that while only the Federal Government can regulate mining across Nigeria, mineral deposits are in states and mining activities occur in those states.

    He said: “Thus, a state cannot effectively plan or govern if it does not enumerate the resources in its jurisdiction and map them to know where they are. For example, it will be a colossal loss to build a mass housing project on a site that has the largest deposit of limestone or natural gas. The way the state government can avoid this is to know what minerals are in the state, where they are, and in what quantity.

    “This knowledge helps the state attract investors. It also helps the state to effectively manage land so that sites that are by natural endowment suited for mineral exploration are not classified as residential or allotted for commercial purposes that waste the mining potential of the land.

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    “It also avoids clash of investments, as we have had agricultural allottees clashing with mining allottees on the same or adjoining land with the mining activities hampering the agricultural and ecological benefits of the farmers.”

    Akinmade said the newly created agency would interface with other MDAs to avoid clashes in future land allocation and ensure  prospective mining sites are preserved and uninhibited for investors, who, if interested, would eventually approach the Federal Government for mining licences and operations.

    He added: “In reaching this decision, Ogun State was guided by the precedent of oil-producing states who, despite petroleum being on the Exclusive Legislative List, have set up ministries of oil and gas.

  • Ogun bars traditional rulers from signing MoUs on land

    Ogun bars traditional rulers from signing MoUs on land

    Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun has issued three Executive Orders, an official said on Saturday in Abeokuta.

    Two of the three orders are establishing two new agencies, while the third restrains traditional rulers from signing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on land in the state.

    Abiodun’s Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Mr Kayode Akinmade, in a statement, listed the agencies as the Ogun State Mineral Resources Development Agency and Ogun State Landscaping and Recreation Agency.

    “In addition to the establishment of these two agencies, the third executive order restrains traditional rulers from entering into any form of agreement or MoU concerning mining activities or any other land matters in their domain,” he said.

    Akinmade said the Mineral Resources Development Agency would establish a working relationship with host communities in order to conduct geo-technical and geological surveys of solid mineral deposit within their domain.

    “The second agency is responsible for sustaining the achievement of the Ministry of Environment in the area of environmental regeneration and restoration and through the provision of parks, gardens and recreational centres state-wide to preserve the biodiversity and ecosystem of the environment,” he added.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor’s aide said the three executive orders take an immediate effect.

    “Executive Order One is based on Section 5(2) of the 1999 Constitution which vests in the governor the exercise of executive powers of the state for the purpose of effective governance.

    “The agency shall, directly or through qualified third parties, conduct and establish working relationship with host communities and local governments for the conduct of geo-technical and geological surveys of solid mineral deposits within their domain.

    “It will conduct geo-technical survey of solid mineral deposits in the state and maintain relevant data in the sector, (and) organise the solid minerals sector to the best interest of the state.

    “To realise its objectives, the agency shall be funded through fees generated from regulatory agency, budgetary allocation, grants and financial intervention from both local and international development partners, as well as gifts, aid and other legitimate contributions,” he explained.

    Akinmade said Executive Order Two was on the basis of the Ministry of Environment starting a massive and aggressive tree-planting campaign to complement the beautification and landscaping programmes.

    ”This is to ensure environmentally sustainable, healthier and beautiful society, and the agency shall administer, maintain and manage all designated parks and recreation centres in the state.

    “For the purpose of realising its objectives, it shall be funded through budgetary allocation or monies received for services rendered, grants and financial intervention from both local and international development partners, as well as gifts, aids and other legitimate contributions.”

    He added that Executive Order Three bars traditional rulers in the state from entering into any form of MoU with reference to mining or any other land matters.

    “The State has observes the current trend in which miners and investors circumvent regulations and government oversight by encouraging traditional institutions to interfere with land management by entering into MoUs and other irregular legal arrangements.

    “Therefore, all forms of traditional institutions existing within the state are hereby with immediate effect barred from entering into any form of MoU or agreement with any individual, companies or organisations seeking land within any part of the entire state for purposes of mining or industry.

    ”They are to forthwith refrain from issuing any form of consent letters for mining across the state.

    “Any traditional institution or stakeholder in the institution who flouts this order shall be sanctioned in line with the provisions of the Kings and Chiefs’ Law and other relevant criminal statutes.

    (NAN)

  • Ogun vows to maintain hygienic meat handling practices

    Ogun vows to maintain hygienic meat handling practices

     Ogun State Government has vowed to ensure hygienic meat handling practices in all abattoirs across the state, promising to enforce strict regulations to safeguard public health, towards boosting confidence in the meat industry and ensuring a safe and healthy food supply chain.

    Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Bolu Owotomo, stated this during a visit to resolve the issue arising from the sealing up of the Funmodara Slaughter Slab at Ijebu-Igbo by the Veterinary Public Health Enforcement Team.

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    He said the state government was determined to improve sanitation and hygiene standards in the meat industry, as he guaranteed the consumption of wholesome meat in the area.

    Owotomo, who explained that the move comes as part of efforts to prevent the spread of zoonotic diseases and ensure the safety of meat products in the state, warned abattoir operators to adhere to strict

  • Ogun gives grant, land to young farm graduands

    Ogun gives grant, land to young farm graduands

    Ogun State Government has doled out N2.5million and land to 25 indigenes, who graduated from the Enterprise for Youth in Agriculture (EIYA) programme, packaged by Soiless Farm Lab, in partnership with Mastercard Foundation, to boost their agricultural endeavours.

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    Speaking during the presentation and graduation at Awowo, in Ewekoro Local Government, Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security,  Bolu Owotomo, said the gesture was to enable the graduands adopt, adapt and implement knowledge acquired to boost the agricultural sector.

    Owotomo said the training was a further assurance that the ageing farming population could effectively and adequately be replaced with young farmers with modern skills, to enhance the agricultural value chain. Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr. Samuel Adeogun, the commissioner said harnessing the potential and innovation of Nigeria, young farmers and entrepreneurs in agriculture would not only revitalise the sector, but also make it sustainable and technologically advanced.

  • Ogun adopts victim of child abuse as police arrest suspect

    Ogun adopts victim of child abuse as police arrest suspect

    • Police arrest suspect

    Ogun State Government has adopted a 12-year-old girl in a viral video that was allegedly abused by a woman, Mrs Adeyanju Temitope, who inserted an object into her private part after the minor was badly beaten and bruised.

    The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development,  Motunrayo Adijat Adeleye, who disclosed this on Saturday in a statement, said this followed the decision of Governor Dapo Abiodun that the state government should take custody of the minor.

    Adeleye added that the perpetrator, Mrs Temitope, had been arrested by the police and undergoing investigation.

    She said the minor was also undergoing necessary medical treatment, which would be followed with psychosocial care afterwards.

    Read Also: Ogun takes custody of abused minor

    “We are heartened by the coordinated and sincere efforts of concerned residents and stakeholders who have been actively involved since the release of the viral video, which led us to track down the alleged perpetrator involved in the inhumane act against the minor who was badly beaten and bruised.

    “Following the update provided earlier regarding the apprehension of the perpetrator, Mrs. Adeyanju Temitope, who is currently in police custody, we would like to inform the public about the ongoing medical treatment being provided to the victim. This treatment will be followed up with psychosocial support, courtesy of the joint efforts of the State Ministries of Women Affairs and Social Development as well as Health.

    “Additionally, the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has graciously directed that the victim be adopted and fully cared for by the State Government, with plans for her education already in place.

    “In light of the above, we earnestly plead with our partners and stakeholders in the media industry, especially social media influencers and users, to desist from the continuous sharing of the victim’s video. It is important to note that sharing videos involving the abuse of minors violates their dignity and can hinder their reintegration into the society.

    “With the concerted efforts of the state government, we firmly believe in the future of our children. This is a clarion call to always practice discretion when reporting cases involving child abuse and gender-based violence.”

  • Ogun takes custody of abused minor

    Ogun takes custody of abused minor

    The Ogun State Government has taken custody of the minor who was abused in a viral video. 

    The video sparked widespread outrage.

     A statement  by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development,  Adijat Adeleye, stated that Governor Dapo Abiodun had directed the adoption and full care of the victim, including plans for her education. 

     It revealed that the victim is receiving medical treatment and psycho-social support through the Ministries of Women Affairs and Social Development, as well as Health. 

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     Urging  discretion in reporting cases involving child abuse and gender-based violence, the statement appealed to media partners, social media influencers and users to stop sharing the viral video, as it violates the victim’s dignity and hinders her reintegration into the society. 

     The statement reaffirmed State Government’s commitment to protecting victims’ privacy and dignity, as well as ensuring the well-being and safety of citizens, especially vulnerable children, appreciating concerned residents and stakeholders, who helped track down the perpetrator, Mrs. Temitope Adeyanju, now in police custody.