The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ondo state

  • Army busts up cannabis dealers operation in Ondo

    Army busts up cannabis dealers operation in Ondo

    Men of the  32 Artillery Brigade in Ondo State yesterday reportedly crushed a ‘notorious’ Indian Hemp ( cannabis ) syndicate inside a forest in Owo, Ondo State.

    The operation followed  a tip off on the activities of the gangsters in a hideout in the remote forest in the community.

    It was learnt that during the operation, there was  exchange of fire between the troops and the suspects who later fled due to superior fire power of the soldiers against them.

    Army intercepts Cannabis dealers
    Army intercepts Cannabis dealers
    Army intercepts Cannabis dealers
    Army intercepts Cannabis dealers

    The drug dealers were said to have been operating in the farm with impunity.

    The troops reportedly recovered 63 bags of Indian Hemp, 23 expended cartridges and nine unexpended cartridges.

    Criminal activities of the syndicate are rampant especially in Owo, Ogbese and Ose axis of the Sunshine state.

    Read also: NDLEA arrests 240 suspected drug traffickers

    Late last year,officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies ( NDLEA ) across the six geo-political zone were in Ala forest near Ogbese, Akure North local government overnight where they destroyed several acres of ‘cannabis’ plantation.

    The Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Owena Barracks, Akure, Major Ojo Adelegan urged the public to always avail the security agencies useful information on criminal acts in the State.

    He also warned  criminals to stay away from the state, stressing that there is no room for any illegality and undesirable elements in the State.

  • Akeredolu begins inspection tour of projects to mark one year in office

    Akeredolu begins inspection tour of projects to mark one year in office

    Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state yesterday began an inspection of ongoing projects in the Northern Senatorial District of the state in preparation for his one year anniversary in office.

    Some of the projects inspected include 2.3 kilometre roads from Ogbonmo to Hawlett street and Ajegunle road all in Ifon, Ose local government area.

    Akeredolu while stressing that non-availability of funds was limiting government from carrying out many meaningful projects maintained that his administration would continue to strive hard to ensure that good governance is spread to all nook and crannies of the state.

    The Olufon of Ifon, Oba Israel Adeusi who decried the level of neglect the community had witnessed over the years expressed gratitude to the governor for counting his people worthy to benefit from his administration.

    Akeredolu also inspected the construction of a block of six classrooms, renovation of a block of six classrooms as well as two classrooms at St. Andrews Primary School, Elegbeka where he assured that such rehabilitation will be carried out across all primary schools in the state.

    The Baale of Elegbeka , Chief Olorunyomi Olaye and the Head Teacher of the School, Mrs Ann Osabiya commended the governor for giving the only school in the community a total face-lift.

    With the governor on the tour were the Secretary to the State Government(SSG) Ifedayo Abegunde, the state APC Chairman, Ade Adetimehin, Commissioner for Works, Taofeek Abdulsalam, Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperative Services, Timehin Adelegbe, Special Adviser to Governor Akeredolu on Works and Infrastructure, Rahimi Aminu, his Rural and Community Development counterpart, Victor Adekanye Olabimtan among others.

  • Petrol sells at N350 in Ondo communities

    Petrol sells at N350 in Ondo communities

    Residents of Akoko communities in the northern district of Ondo State are facing acute shortage of petroleum products, especially premium motor spirit (petrol).

    Rural communities, such as Ipesi, Afin, Eshe, Igasi Awara and Akunu, with no filling stations, have resorted to the black market.

    A litre of petrol was sold yesterday in jerry cans at between N350 and N400.

    Fuel traders in the communities complain that they buy from those selling for N215 per litre at Ikare-Akoko, the nearest town they could get the product.

    At Ikare, with over 20 filling stations, only two were selling at N200 per litre.

    The situation has forced a fare hike, with many schools finding it difficult to fuel their buses.

    As at yesterday, fares from Ikare to Akure, the capital, was N1,500, instead of N800; Ikare to Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State capital, cost N1,400, instead of N700.

    Two community leaders at Ajowa-Akoko and Afin-Akoko, Alhaji Jamiu Zakariya and Saliu Aro, called for more government action on the fuel scarcity because of its hardship and negative effects on the economy.

    At Arigidi Akoko, Akungba, Ugbe and neighbouring towns, the scarcity had remained persistent.

    A taxi  drop attracts N100.

    Business activities are at a low ebb as fuel dealers refuse to sell at N145 per litre.

    A concerned motorist, Ojonla Oni, wondered where Bovas, the only fuel station selling the product at Akungba, got its supply.

    He urged the Federal Government to be more proactive on the scarcity situation.

     

  • Motorcycle operator in court over alleged theft

    Motorcycle operator in court over alleged theft

    A 22- year-old motorcycle operator, Dejo Bajowa, who allegedly stole motorcycle valued at N120,000, was on Friday docked before an Okitipupa Magistrates’ Court in Ondo State.

    The accused of no fixed address is standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

    The prosecutor, Sgt. Ayodeji Omoyeigha, told the court that the accused on Nov.16, at No.6, Kewe St., Okitipupa, conspired with other now at large to steal an unregistered Suzuki motorcycle.

    Omoyeigha said that the motorcycle was given to him by the owner, Michael Ijiri, to pay on instalments.

    He said that the offences were contrary to and punishable under Sections 516 and 390(9), Criminal Code, Cap.37, Vol.1, and Laws of Ondo State 2006.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    Read also: Court jails two for stealing yam

    The Magistrate, Mr Chris Ojuola, granted the accused bail of N50,000 with a surety in like sum, who must produce evidence of a year tax clearance.

    Ojuola adjourned the case until Jan. 15 for further hearing.

    NAN

  • Herdsmen invade Ondo community farmland,kill one

    Herdsmen invade Ondo community farmland,kill one

    Farmers in Arodoye community, Akure South local government area of Ondo state, were in tears on Thursday following the alleged destruction of their several acres of land by suspected fulani herdsmen.

    Besides, sources said a woman,whose identity was yet to be ascertained was killed on her farm during the invasion by the herdsmen.

    The farmers who lamented the incessant invasion of their farms by herdsmen said millions of Naira have been lost due to massive destruction of crops by animals.

    The farmers listed some of the farm produce destroyed by the herdsmen as Cassava, Cocoyams,  Yams, Vegetables while Cocoa plantation was set on fire.

    Speaking on behalf of the farmers,  Justice Micheal Omoyemi, traced the genesis of the invasion to December 2016 when the herdsmen harvested most of the farm produce during the Christmas /New Year break.

    He said “the herdsmen also returned last December destroying over 5,000 heaps of cassava in my farm. They took the advantage of the break and brought their cattle and uprooted the cassava to feed their cows.

    “We have reported the herdsmen to the security agents in the past and also to the Deji of Akureland, Oba Aladelusi Aladetoyinbo who promised to intervene.

    “The herdsmen are determined to send the farmers out of the farm in the South West unless steps are taken by the concerned authorities,  hence it will degenerate to ethnic clashes in the south west. What they have destroyed in a twinkle of an eye is worth millions of Naira”

    One of the farmers,  Victory Oweh, said he lost over 10 acres to the herdsmen and their cows, saying,  the herdsmen also set his farm ablaze after destroying the crops.

    He said “we are just respecting the law of the land and trying not to take law into our hands. We have been reporting them to the security agents with no positive results.”

    Oweh who said he voluntarily resigned from office two years ago to embrace farming,however regretted that the incessant invasion of his farm has defeated his mission.

    According to him, “I cannot imagine working all through the year and some herdsmen and their cattle will invade our farms and wasted all our labour within one day.

    “Ondo state government should follow the steps taken by the Ekiti state government by enacting laws to curb the activities of the herds men in the state. We are calling on the state government and security agents in the state before taking laws into our hands.”

    He explained that one of the farmers, Patience Salami, was killed on her farm by the herdsmen some days ago, while no arrest was made by law enforcement agencies.

    Justice Owoyemi however said the farmers had petitioned the governor Olurotimi Akeredolu, Security agencies and the Ministry of Agriculture to intimate them on the havoc wreck on farmlands in the area.

  • NDDC crisis: Group seeks Buhari ’s intervention

    NDDC crisis: Group seeks Buhari ’s intervention

    A group, the Centre For Justice And Fairness In Niger Delta (CFJFIND), Ondo State, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari not to extend the tenure of the current board members of the Niger Delta Development Commission.

    Its Chairman, Mr Alex Kalajaye, made the call at a press briefing in Akure on Friday.

    The tenure of the current board members of NDDC is to end this December.

    Kalajaye said that it was the turn of another state, not Akwa Ibom, to produce the next NDDC Managing Director after the expiration of the tenure of the current board on Dec. 8.

    “No state should be denied its rights to occupy the offices assigned to it by the NDDC Act. Those making such dangerous moves should be wary of their actions,” he said.

    According to him, the commission comprises of nine member states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Ondo, Edo, Imo, Abia, Cross-River and Rivers, while the management positions is rotational among member states.

    “It is on record that since the establishment of the commission over 17 years ago, only four states have rotated the top three management positions among themselves – they are Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers States.

    “There is nothing in the NDDC Act, 2000 that provides special attention for the four big states.The phrase four big states is the invention of some cabals in the NDDC to oppress the other five states.

    “The Federal Government should not give in to this surreptitious manipulation or modification of the NNDC Act.

    “None of the states in the NDDC is inferior to the other states.

    “While some states may have higher production quantum, this does not in any way imply that the right due to the other states must be trampled up on.”

    He said that there should be equality of states in the sharing of the three top management positions in the commission.

    “As at now, it is the turn of Ondo State to produce the next managing director of the NDDC.

    “This is so because Ondo State is the 5th highest oil producing state in NDDC.

    “Since all the states that have higher production of oil than Ondo State have produced the managing director at one time or the other, it follows that the provision of Section 12(1) supra, Ondo State must of necessity produce the managing director for the next board to be constituted.

    “This is the way it should go if the inequity in the NDDC is to be corrected,” he said.

  • NASU berates inadequate funding of libraries

    NASU berates inadequate funding of libraries

    The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions ( NASU ), has expressed dismay over inadequate funding of the National and State libraries across the country.

    Mr Micheal Adegoke, the Deputy National President of the union, said this at the end of the regular meeting of the WAEC/Libraries and Others Trade Groups in Lagos.

    Adegoke said that libraries, which served as gatekeepers, storehouses of knowledge and a critical element in the educational sector had been neglected.

    He said that there was no way the country could achieve the education for all if the present level of funding of the national and state-owned libraries was not drastically improved upon.

    He described as a national embarrassment, the present rented apartment of the National Library of Nigeria in Abuja and other parts of the country.

    Read also: NASU’s overreach

    The deputy president, therefore, called on the Federal Government to expedite action on the completion of the abandoned National Library of Nigeria Headquarters building, as a matter of utmost priority.

    Adegoke also urged the federal and state governments to improve funding of their libraries so that the aims and objectives of establishing them could be attained.

    He urged the intervention of Tertiary Education Trust Fund ( TETFUND ) in the funding of libraries as it did for public institutions’ libraries.

    NASU and other varsities’ staff unions such as the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities ( SSANU ) and National Association of Academic Technologists ( NAAT ) are currently on strike nationwide.

    The unions are demanding that the Federal Government should release N30 billion to them as a condition to calling off their industrial action.

    “Government should release more funds to take care of the arrears of the earned allowance of the three non-teaching staff of universities and commence the immediate implementation of the allowances to forestall further accumulation of the arrears,’’ Mr Alfred Jimoh.

    Jimoh is the National Vice President of SSANU and made the call at a news briefing on December 15 in Akure, Ondo State.

    NAN

  • Police arrest four Fulani Herdsmen in Ondo

    Police arrest four Fulani Herdsmen in Ondo

    Police in Ondo State have arrested four Fulani herdsmen in Ido Ani community, Ose Local Government Area of the state over alleged abduction of a wife of a fellow Fulani man identified as Hadiza Saliu.

    The suspects were also alleged to have earlier abducted a son of another Fulani herdsman in the community but the boy was said to have released after a ransom was paid by his father.

    State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Femi Joseph said the suspects were arrested last Friday.

    They are: Adamu Ibrahim, Muhammadu Haruna, Saliu Bawa and Bashir Ibrahim.

    Joseph explained that the suspects had confessed to be part of the kidnapping gang who carried out their ‘operations’ at the Akoko area of the state in the recent time.

    He said “One Mohammed Gambo came to report to us that the kidnappers abducted his son and he paid a sum of N200, 000 before the boy was released but he did not inform the police before making arrangement with the abductors, it was after the boy was released that he reported to us.

    “The same persons abducted another women, Hadiza Saliu on December 13, 2017. As they were demanding ransom from the husband of the woman, the victim ran away. So after the victim had escaped the abductors started calling the husband to demand ransom.

    “After reporting to us, we asked them to provide the money (ransom) and our men with some local vigilante groups laid ambush for the kidnappers who later came and pick up the money.”

    The PPRO said one of the suspects; Adamu was arrested when he got out of the bush to pick up the money, adding that it was after his arrest that the police discovered that the same kidnap group was responsible for the abduction of the son of Gambo who had earlier reported to the police.

    He said suspected Kidnappers confessed that most of the kidnapping incident that happened in the Akoko area were carried out by them, adding that they would soon appear in court.

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  • Suspected kidnapper arrested in Ondo

    Suspected kidnapper arrested in Ondo

    Four  expatriates were at the weekend rescued by men of the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Naval Forward Operating Base(FOB) Igbokoda from kidnappers in Ilaje Local Government of Ondo State.

    The victims, said to be Chinese were kidnapped on their way from Lagos through Ayeton Creeks to Ogooluayo community along Ebute by a gang of Sea pirates .

    In the operation of the joint routine patrol on the Waterway, men of the Nigerian Army and Navy intercepted  the sea pirates and their victims.

    It took the gallantry effort of othe joint security operatives to rescue the four Chinese who have sustained gun wounds from the Kidnappers.

    The rescued victims were currently receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital.

    During the operation, one of kidnappers was apprehended and now undergoing interrogation while other kidnappers fled with gun wounds.

    Sources hinted  that youths from Ogooluwa community led by Job Omogunwa joined the security officers in demonstration of good  community relations between the Military and members of the public.

    Meanwhile,spokesman for the 32 Artillery Brigade, Owena Barracks, Akure, Major Ojo Adelelegan urged the public especially in the riverine areas of the state to avail them with useful information on the fleeling kidnappers with gun wounds.

    He pointed out that the security agencies in Ondo State are at alert to continue protecting lives and properties in the state.