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Tag: Ogun

  • Eight killed, nine arrested in Ogun cult clashes

    Eight killed, nine arrested in Ogun cult clashes

    Eight suspected cultists have been killed in renewed rival cults violence at Ewu Iya area of Sagamu, Ogun State.

    The clash, which occurred on Sunday, involved members of two rival cults – Aiye and Eiye, who locked themselves in a battle, using guns, axes and knives.

    Four of the dead were said to have been gruesomely killed when the room they were staying at Sakura, Ewu Iya was stormed by one of the rival confraternities.

    It was learnt that four other cultists were killed at locations in Sagamu.

    Speaking in Abeokuta, Commissioner of Police Abiodun Alamutu attributed the clashes to a land transaction that took place in Sagamu.

    He said “About nine suspects have been arrested.”

    Police spokesperson Omolola Odutola, said four suspects were arrested after a raid carried out by the police in Sagamu led by ACP Shehu Alao, in collaboration with the VGN (Vigilante Group of Nigeria), in response to the clash.

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    She gave names of the suspects as Asaiye Omolaja, Azeez Nofiu, Mathew Adewale and Bolaji Ogunkemaya, adding that Bolaji Ogunkemaya was found with the four deceased persons in the same room where their killings occurred.

    According to her, one suspect identified simply as Wasiu managed to escape before the police arrived.

    “Upon receiving the information, the Area Commander mobilised more personnel to the scene, in order to prevent the clash from escalating and to apprehend the cultists involved. As a result, seven suspected cultists were arrested, and further investigations led to the recovery of a firearm, three live cartridges and a charm.

    “During the raid, Bolaji Ogunkemaya provided information, saying their leader, known as Azubuike aka Better, was arrested by the Area Commander a fortnight ago.”

  • Ogun records cholera outbreak 

    Ogun records cholera outbreak 

    Ogun State Government says there is an outbreak of cholera in Ijebu North Local Government. 

    Dr Tomi Coker, Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, who made this known yesterday evening, said cholera is known to occur during the rainy season and may also be associated with poor environment and personal hygiene.

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    She advised residents to report cases of stooling with or without vomiting to the nearest government health facility and notify the LGA DSNO (08069788449).

  • Ogun records cholera outbreak, warns residents

    Ogun records cholera outbreak, warns residents

    Ogun state government on Sunday, September 17, said there is an outbreak of cholera in the Ijebu North Local Government area of the State.

    Tomi Coker, Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, who disclosed this on Sunday evening said cholera is known to occur during rainy seasons and may also be associated with poor environment and personal hygiene.

    Coker added that it is commonly present with stooling with or without vomiting leading to dehydration and could result in death if the severe dehydration was not promptly corrected.

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    She implored all residents and citizens to report all cases of Stooling with or without vomiting to the nearest government health facility and notify the LGA DSNO (08069788449).

    She also urged residents to ensure proper personal and environmental hygiene by washing their hands frequently (before and after using the toilet or eating), using water from clean sources, treating water before use, and boiling before drinking.

    According to her, people should wash and cook food thoroughly before eating.

    She added that open defecation should prevented and discouraged as cholera is caused by water or food contaminated with faeces.

  • Councillors remove Ogun council chairman

    Councillors remove Ogun council chairman

    • ’They played governor’s script’

    Councillors of Ijebu East Local Government in Ogun State yesterday impeached the suspended chairman of the council, Mr. Wale Adedayo, over allegations of financial misappropriation and diversion of funds. 

    Leader of the Legislative Council, Fasheyi Akindele, in a statement, said Adedayo was impeached after he appeared before the councillors, following an invitation extended to him over allegations of fund mismanagement.

    According to Akindele, after series of invitations by the House, which were ignored in the past, Adedayo eventually appeared before the legislative council as the councillors continued their probe of the chairman.

    “The suspended chairman owned up before the full house of 11 councillors that he diverted federal allocations sent to the council by the state government and used them for purposes other than what the state government approved.

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    “Adedayo also agreed that he spent the council funds till August 2023, even when the budget was yet to be approved, whereas the laws only allow him to spend till March 2023.

    “Adedayo also opened up that he used N5.2million to produce 20 pieces of chairs and tables, instead of the 290 chairs that the money was meant for as approved by the state government.”

    Mr. Adedayo has accused the council’s legislators of acting the script of people in Abeokuta to remove him from office. 

    He said he knew Governor Dapo Abiodun was offended that he opened up to the public about how the federal allocation belonging to Ijebu East Local Government was being spent, stressing that he had performed his duty as an Afenifere. 

  • Court orders Ogun, agents to stay off DATKEM Plaza

    Court orders Ogun, agents to stay off DATKEM Plaza

    An High Court sitting in Ijebu-Ode has ordered the Ogun State Government and its agents to stay away from Datkem Plaza belonging to Mrs Olufunke Daniel, wife of Senator representing Ogun East, Gbenga Daniel.

    The Court also directed the State Government to maintain status quo in respect of the property.

    The State Government, in the early hours of Sunday, moved in Datkem plaza, a five-storey building located along Folagbade road in Ijebu Ode and pulled down parts of it, citing lack of approval by relevant authorities.

    But the court asked government and her agents to stay off the property pending the determination of the substantiative matter filed before it.

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    The originating suit marked: HCJ212/2023 was filed by DAKTEMS Enterprises Limited as plaintiff and joined the Governor of Ogun State, Attorney General of Ogun State, Ogun State Planning & Development Permit Authority and Urban Development as well as Ogun State Commissioner for Physical Planning, as defendants

    It prayed the Court for “an exparte order restraining the defendants/respondents and their agents, allies, proxies, assigns, cronies, servants and any other person(s), however described, either claiming through them or acting on their behalf, in whatsoever manner, upon their authority/instruction, from
    demolishing the property known, being or lying at No. 62, ljebu-Ode/lbadan Road, ljebu Ode, Iiebu-Ode Local Government Area, Ogun State pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice herein filed.

    “An order of the Court mandating and/or otherwise directing parties to maintain status quo, i.e. the position of things, as it were, as at the time of filing, hearing and determination of this application.”

    In his ruling, Justice N. O. Durojaiye directed that all parties in the case maintain Status quo on the property as at today the 11″ of September, 2023.

    “The applicant shall file affidavit of Status quo, showing the state of the disputed property as at today within 72 hours from today.

    “The Originating processes and all other processes shall be served on the Respondents within 24 hours from today.

    “The motion for Interlocutory Injunction is adjourned for hearing on 27″ September, 2023.”

  • Ogun declares DATKEM plaza illegal, alleges violations of planning laws

    Ogun declares DATKEM plaza illegal, alleges violations of planning laws

    Ogun State Government has officially declared DATKEM Plaza in Ijebu Ode an illegal structure.

    It stated the building belonging to Yeye Funke Daniel’s, wife of former Governor Gbenga Daniels, was built without an approved plan. 

    It said the structure, which was demolished over the weekend, also breached the state’s physical planning regulations.

    A statement by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Engr. Olayiwola Abiodun, alleged multiple structural defects in the building.

    It said wfforts by the State Government to halt further construction on the site had been fruitless, including requests for the structural engineer’s assessment of the building’s stability, which were ignored.

    The statement emphasised the importance of proactive measures in light of past building disasters across the country, some resulting in tragic loss of life. The partial demolition of the non-compliant structure was described as a precautionary action.

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    Abiodun challenged the owners to provide evidence of government approval for the construction. He also noted that, for a commercial building of its scale, there must be adequate parking facilities, as required by law.

    He said the building was found to lack stage certification, which is typically issued at various construction phases. Notices, including contravention, stop-work, and demolition orders, were served between May and October 2022, all of which were disregarded.

    The statement traced the building’s history, with DATKEM Enterprises Limited originally submitting an application for an office building in 2009. However, observations during monitoring revealed significant deviations from the approved plan, including modifications and an additional storey.

    “Despite multiple warnings and notices, construction continued, leading to the site’s sealing in August 2023. An appeal for unsealing was temporarily granted to evacuate belongings, but a final quit notice was served in August 2023.

    “The Ogun State Government reaffirmed its commitment to citizen safety and vowed to demolish any structurally defective buildings across the state to protect lives,” parts of the statement read. 

  • Daniel’s wife slams Ogun for demolishing DATKEM plaza, calls it executive recklessness

    Daniel’s wife slams Ogun for demolishing DATKEM plaza, calls it executive recklessness

    Mrs Olufunke Daniel, wife of ex-governor Gbenga Daniel, has condemned the demolition and vandalization of her 4-storey DATKEM plaza in Ijebu-Ode, by the Ogun state government, describing the action as “executive recklessness, lawlessness, and irresponsibility.”

    The state government had earlier on Sunday, September 10, declared the DATKEM plaza as illegal and lacking government approval.

    But reacting, through her lawyer, Adeyinka Kotoye, SAN, of Page Law office, Mrs Daniel slammed the government for ‘illegality, “unimaginable and huge losses” inflicted on her through the demolition.

    In a statement signed by the legal firm, she lamented that the government ignored court papers served on its agents to abort the alleged unlawful actions on the structure.

    The statement noted that the government ignored court papers “served on its agents on Thursday, September 7, asking them to stop all actions on the building.”

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    It stated: “I want to believe that the Ogun state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, was not informed of this illegality. But if he was informed and still decided to use the instruments of the State against our clients, it is nothing but executive recklessness. But, we will continue to fight for justice and ensure that our clients are.

    “This matter began when the Ogun State Planning and Development Authority scaled the building on August 1 without any prior notice. Interestingly, a quit notice was only served on August 31 by the same Planning and Development Authority asking the owner to vacate the premises within three days.

    “Meanwhile, Datkem applied for unsealing and regularization of the building on August 2 and paid the mandatory fee of N500,000 to the Ogun state government. We have evidence of this payment.

    “However, we were shocked and astonished that the Ogun state government ignored the ongoing legal process and went ahead to demolish the complex in the early hours of Sunday. We want to believe the State Attorney General’s advice was ignored on this matter.

    “Our clients, as law-abiding citizens of Ogun State, will continue to seek redress in the courts. Even when our clients have suffered unimaginable and huge losses as a result of this illegal demolition, we will not relent in pursuing justice in the courts.”

  • VIDEO: Ogun demolishes Gbenga Daniel’s wife’s five-storey plaza

    VIDEO: Ogun demolishes Gbenga Daniel’s wife’s five-storey plaza

    Ogun state government has reportedly demolished a 5-storey DATKEM plaza in Ijebu-Ode, owned by Yeye Olufunke Daniel, wife of former governor Gbenga Daniel.

    It was gathered that the mall, located on Folagbade Street in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, was demolished within three days of notification.

    The project manager and developer, Olusegun Lawal, confirmed the demolition in a statement on Sunday, September 10.

    Lawal said the plaza is an iconic, solid structure with full approval, whose construction started in 2009 and was scheduled for commissioning at the end of September.

    He said the ground floor and mezzanine is a banking hall fully fitted with bank trap doors, and CHUBB strong room, adding that it had a Kone elevator installed by Kresta Laurel Limited, another company owned by Senator Daniel.

    The Project Manager said about 80 brand new split air-conditioners just completely installed by Holomicool Nigeria Limited were also destroyed alongside the building with a 150 KVA generator set and transformer.

    A firefighting system installed by Flory Limited and external cladding being completed by Vertex Nigeria Limited also went down.

    Speaking on the reasons adduced by the state government for the demolition, Lawal said: “Not enough parking space (front of Building is Folagbade Street, sided by two (2) undeveloped streets which is being prepared by the Developers to be tarred to support parking while the empty piece of land at the back is being negotiated for lease to complement car parking.

    He noted: “Inadequate Muster Point: Muster point is any space outside the building where people can gather in case of fire or emergency. There is ample space around the building that can be used as Muster Point.

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    “3. Inadequate Airspace. This is a new one. But there is enough airspace as there is no single adjoining building around the 4 sides of the building. There is also no concrete fence but only metal grills to ensure proper airflow.

    It must be noted that there are other buildings in the vicinity that do not even come close in terms of compliance on safety matters.

    “All this information are known by the relevant personnel of Government in ongoing discussions. 4. Notice of demolition by government: 3 days

    “5. Demolition started at 3 am Sunday 10 September, 2023 and it is ongoing as we prepare this preliminary report. Building cost is around N1b.”

    Lawal further informed that the notice of demolition was just three days, adding that the bulldozers of the government moved in at 3 a.m. on Sunday and were still working at the time he issued the statement.

    He put the cost of the building at N1 billion, with about 100 workmen, who are Nigerians, on the site.

    Lawal added that the third floor of the plaza was to house the Ogun East Senatorial District office of Otunba Daniel, adding: “There are no single structural defects on the building and ALL relevant and necessary government approvals have been obtained.”

  • Why we demolished DATKEM plaza, Ogun reveals

    Why we demolished DATKEM plaza, Ogun reveals

    Ogun state government on Sunday, September 10, said DATKEM Plaza, Ijebu Ode is an illegal structure without an approved plan.

    The government also maintained that the structure contravened the state’s physical planning laws.

    This was contained in a statement signed by the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Olayiwola Abiodun.

    Abiodun noted that the structure violated the building codes of the state with numerous defects.

    He said several efforts made by the state government to halt further development on site were ignored by the developers.

    He mentioned that government officials had requested the structural engineer responsible for the building to provide the state with an assessment of the building’s structural stability, but this request was disregarded.

    The statement recalled the various incidences of building disasters across the country, adding that the Ogun State Government will not fold its arms and allow such an occurrence.

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    It noted that many such disasters, such as fire outbreaks at Ikorodu, led to the loss of precious lives.

    According to the permanent secretary, what the government did in partially pulling down the defective building was to be proactive.

    Abiodun, however, challenged the owners of the structure to produce evidence of government approval in their possession.

    He said that for a commercial building of that status, there must be parking space to accommodate vehicular traffic within and outside the facility for workers and visitors, saying that the provision of the law is for 45 to 50 per cent of available land for construction as a buildable area.

    The permanent secretary added that the building lacked stage certification, which is usually issued at every stage of construction.

    He said that owners were served the necessary notices, including abatement, contravention, stop work and demolition between May and October 2022, which were ignored.

    According to the statement, DATKEM Enterprises Limited submitted an application for an office building, located along Ibadan Road, Ijebu Ode in 2009 with registration number CB/05/299/2009

    He said: “The proposal was for five (5) floors with an airspace of 3 metres at the right, 5m at the left, 5metres at the rear and a setback of 32.5516 metres to the middle of Ijebu Ode/Ibadan road, Ijebu-Ode.

    “The Zonal Town Planning Office observed during routine monitoring that the construction on site did not conform to the plan granted as there was a deviation from the airspaces and setback.

  • JUST IN: Ogun demolishes Gbenga Daniel’s wife’s five-storey plaza

    JUST IN: Ogun demolishes Gbenga Daniel’s wife’s five-storey plaza

    Ogun state government has reportedly demolished a 5-storey DATKEM plaza in Ijebu-Ode, owned by Yeye Olufunke Daniel, wife of former governor Gbenga Daniel.

    It was gathered that the mall, located on Folagbade Street in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, was demolished within three days of notification.

    The project manager and developer, Olusegun Lawal, confirmed the demolition in a statement on Sunday, September 10.

    Lawal said the plaza is an iconic, solid structure with full approval, whose construction started in 2009 and was scheduled for commissioning at the end of September.

    He said the ground floor and mezzanine is a banking hall fully fitted with bank trap doors, and CHUBB strong room, adding that it had a Kone elevator installed by Kresta Laurel Limited, another company owned by Senator Daniel.

    The Project Manager said about 80 brand new split air-conditioners just completely installed by Holomicool Nigeria Limited were also destroyed alongside the building with a 150 KVA generator set and transformer.

    A firefighting system installed by Flory Limited and external cladding being completed by Vertex Nigeria Limited also went down.

    Speaking on the reasons adduced by the state government for the demolition, Lawal said: “Not enough parking space (front of Building is Folagbade Street, sided by two (2) undeveloped streets which is being prepared by the Developers to be tarred to support parking while the empty piece of land at the back is being negotiated for lease to complement car parking.

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    He noted: “Inadequate Muster Point: Muster point is any space outside the building where people can gather in case of fire or emergency. There is ample space around the building that can be used as Muster Point.

    “3. Inadequate Airspace. This is a new one. But there is enough airspace as there is no single adjoining building around the 4 sides of the building. There is also no concrete fence but only metal grills to ensure proper airflow.

    It must be noted that there are other buildings in the vicinity that do not even come close in terms of compliance on safety matters.

    “All this information are known by the relevant personnel of Government in ongoing discussions. 4. Notice of demolition by government: 3 days

    “5. Demolition started at 3 am Sunday 10 September, 2023 and it is ongoing as we prepare this preliminary report. Building cost is around N1b.”

    Lawal further informed that the notice of demolition was just three days, adding that the bulldozers of the government moved in at 3 a.m. on Sunday and were still working at the time he issued the statement.

    He put the cost of the building at N1 billion, with about 100 workmen, who are Nigerians, on the site.

    Lawal added that the third floor of the plaza was to house the Ogun East Senatorial District office of Otunba Daniel, adding: “There are no single structural defects on the building and ALL relevant and necessary government approvals have been obtained.”