The Nation Newspaper

Tag: OP MESA

  • OP Mesa ‘disrupts family festival’ in Epe Community

    OP Mesa ‘disrupts family festival’ in Epe Community

    A joint military and police patrol team of Operation (OP) Mesa has been accused of violently disrupting a festival of the Ojude Ewade Ruling House in Igboye Town in Eredo, Epe.

    The team, which arrived at the Ewade ground around 5pm on Saturday, allegedly sent members of the family and other merrymakers running at the height of the joint festival and Sallah party.

    In the commotion, some members of a family, including a 75-year-old woman, was injured and later hospitalised. A photo printer and three handsets were allegedly destroyed by the patrol team.

    The head of the Ewade Ruling House, Otunba Abdulwasiu Musa-Adebamowo said he was roughhandled by the team leader.

    “He forcibly took my phone from me and interrupted my discussion with the Epe Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Mr S.P. Adeyeri,” Musa-Adebamowo said.

    According to him, the phone was later returned after the intervention of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Olalere Ismaila “when the Ops Mesa team leader realised that it was a peaceful gathering and that they had been sent to the venue based on false information.”

    The Nation learnt that both the Police and Operation Mesa had been drafted to the venue on the allegation that members of the Ewade Ruling House were causing trouble.

    Some of those affected by the violence accused aggrieved members of another ruling house (name withheld) of being behind the incident.

    Mr Adeyeri, said he was not aware that anybody was injured and that no such report was made to him.

    Nevertheless, Musa-Adebamowo convinced members of the Ewade Ruling House not to retaliate “in order not to worsen the situation”.

    Shortly after peace was restored, the Olisa of Ilara, a neighbouring town, Chief Talabi Owolabi Fasasi entered the Ewade Ruling House ground amid pomp and pageantry accompanied by scores of Ilara indigenes.

    Earlier, Otunba Musa-Adebamowo emphasised that members of the house are eligible to be kings contrary to claims making the rounds.

    He said the report of various commissions and panels of enquiries on the kingship in Igboye between 1906 and 1985 attested to and affirmed the existence of four ruling houses in the ancient town and their respective eligibility to the throne.

    “The ongoing kingship tussle is not peculiar to the town”, Musa-Adebamowo said.”

    Head of the Oseketu Royal family, Alhaji M. A. Quadri said the Ewade Ruling House had existed for a very long time alongside other ruling houses including Samba, Erelu and Oshikadewa.

  • Nigerian Army offers free medical check to Badagry residents

    Nigerian Army offers free medical check to Badagry residents

    The Nigerian Army, 243 Battalion, Badagry, Lagos State, on Wednesday offered free medical check to over 100 residents in the area.

    The army officers also embarked on environmental sanitation and evacuation of refuse dumps at the Fibre market and the Nigeria French Language Village in Badagry.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the activities were carried out in commemoration of the Nigerian Army Day Celebration which comes up on July 7.

    The Commander of 243 Battalion, Col. Umar Garuba, told NAN that the Battalion carried out the exercise, yearly, by the Army for its host communities.

    “The free medical check-up is a way of giving back to the host communities for all the support they have rendered because we cannot do what we do without them.

    “Our medical team carried out tests and the results came out instantly.

    “Drugs are given where necessary and advice in cases that require full medical attention.

    “Cleaning up the environment and clearing the refuse dumps will help flush out all forms of diseases; this will in turn prevent the residents from falling ill regularly.

    “We will keep on carrying out similar exercises to ensure that the synergy that exists between the host communities and army is further strengthened,’’ he said.

    Garuba said that the low crime rate in the area was due to the vigilance of the Army and other security agencies.

    “OP MESA and other security agencies work together and this has resulted in suppressing crime in the area drastically.

    “We will keep on ensuring that it remains that way.’’

  • Military Taskforce shoots man in Lagos

    Military Taskforce shoots man in Lagos

     

    A stray bullet from an OP MESA van on Friday afternoon hit one Ifeanyi Mmezi at Ijegun, a Lagos suburb, leaving him unconscious.
    It was gathered that Mmezi was rushed to Igando General Hospital, where doctors battled to resuscitate him.
    The Nation learnt that soldiers drafted to checkmate activities of militants and kidnappers at Ijedodo community, started shooting sporadically around 1pm.
    The victim who was alighting from a commercial bus, was said to have been hit by stray bullet on his left hand.

     

    A witness, Iya Modina said: “The soldiers were in their van driving through Ijegun Bus Stop, when they started shooting into the air. Before we knew it, a man who was alighting a commercial bus was hit by stray bullet. People scampered for safety and the soldiers just drove past.
    “Some people started making calls to alert the relevant agencies. A man picked the victim’s phone and called some contacts on it. But when his relatives arrived, he was already at the hospital.”
    Mmezi’s cousin, Wisdom Osimiri said the victim was returning from work when the incident occurred. According to him, doctors might amputate his cousin’s arm.

     

  • Four held as OP MESA seizes 200 gallons of fuel

    Four held as OP MESA seizes 200 gallons of fuel

    A Lagos State crime fighting outfit, “Operation MESA’’ yesterday, seized more than 200 gallons of petrol at the Suntan Beach in Badagry.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that four suspects were apprehended while conveying the product from Takwa Bay to Benin Republic.

    A top official of the task force, who spoke with NAN, said the officials acted on a tip off from some fishermen along the coast line.

    “We acted on a tip off we got from fishermen and we swooped on them while they were conveying the products from Takwa Bay to Benin Republic.

    “We hired a boat and we seized more than 200 jerry cans of adulterated fuel and most importantly, we didn’t record any casualties in the operation.”

    The source hailed the fishermen for the information that led to the smugglers’ arrest.

    “I must commend the local fishermen because they provided the information that helped our operation,” he said.

    The official said “the exhibits and the suspects would be handed over to the relevant authorities and we will make sure we get to the root of the matter.”

  • INEC claims ownership of seized ballot boxes

    INEC claims ownership of seized ballot boxes

    The  police in Ogun State have said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed its ownership of the  3,600 ballot boxes that were intercepted at the Odogbolu (Ogun State) stretch of the Lagos-Ore Expressway.

    This followed a stop-and-search operation by soldiers from the 35 Artillery Army Brigade, Alamala, Abeokuta.

    It was gathered that the truck was coming from Lagos and taking the boxes to Akwa -Ibom State ..

    It was learnt that when the soldiers could not be convinced about the legality of the boxes, the driver was arrested and taken to Igbeba (Ijebu-Ode) Area Command.

    Police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi said the ballot boxes were in police custody and “meant” for INEC Office, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

    Adejobi said: “Around 8am yesterday, a team of soldiers (OP MESA) attached to the 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala, Abeokuta who were on stop-and-search around Odogbolu (Ogun State) area of the Sagamu – Benin Expressway, intercepted a truck containing about 3, 600 ballot boxes.

    “Upon interception, when they could not ascertain the authenticity of the ballot boxes, they handed them over to the police at Ijebu Ode Area Command. The police, thereafter, began investigation.

    “We have the 3, 600 ballot boxes belonging to INEC.

    “Some INEC and port officials have called to confirm that the consignment belongs to INEC and that the ballot boxes are meant to be delivered in Akwa Ibom State.

    “For now that we cannot call the ballot boxes fake or illegal.

    “The INEC official who spoke with the police said the contractor ,who was to deliver the items, will come to the police to deliver the relevant documents to clarify this.

    “The items are still with us at this command; we are waiting for the necessary documents to ascertain the claims of INEC or the so-called agent.

    “Don’t let us say that we have recovered illegal ballot boxes. It is too early for us to jump to any conclusion now, but the information we have with us is that they are INEC properties and we are still waiting for necessary documents to clarify this.

    “However, if they cannot produce the document to convince us, we are going to do what we should do.  For now, the matter is still fresh and one shouldn’t jump into conclusion.

    “We are still going to do the necessary follow up on the matter where the command would make further official statement on it.”