The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Oyo state

  • NURTW factions trade words over bloody clash in Ibadan community

    Two factions of Oyo State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) on Sunday traded words following violent clash at the weekend at Egbeda area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    Deafening sound of gunshots boomed in the area at the weekend, causing panic as residents ran for cover to avoid bodily harm and injury.

    Many residents around the trouble area were said to have remained indoors as shop owners hurriedly closed their business and ran for safety.

    It was learnt that trouble started when a former NURTW chairman, Mukaila Lamidi (aka Auxiliary), in company of some of his men and two officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), invaded the house of an estranged aide, Musiliudeen Muideen, with dangerous weapons.

    It was gathered that apart from beating and shooting Muideen, members of his household, including his brothers, were allegedly dealt with.

    However, Auxiliary, when contacted, denied the allegations, saying that the claim was false.

    The NURTW chief alleged that some members of the union were out to paint him black for the governor, Seyi Makinde, to stop his impending announcement as the new NURTW chairman.

    Auxiliary, who spoke through one of his aides, Alhaji Ahmed Raheem, said the allegation was an attempt to destroy his reputation, stating that as a peace-loving person, he would never engage in acts that would bring disrepute to the state.

    Read Also: Kidnapped NURTW driver freed

    Raheem said Auxiliary had intelligent report that some hoodlums were planning to attack people to tarnish his name and he went there with the NSCDC officers to arrest them and subsequently handed  them over to men of the state joint security task force.

    But, the victim, Muideen, confirmed the attack on him, while speaking with reporters yesterday, saying that his house was invaded with six vehicles loaded with NURTW members and two NSCDC men brandishing dangerous weapons.

    He stated that if it were to be in the night, he would have been killed.

    Muideen added that after he was beaten to the point of death and his family members traumatised, he was driven to the headquarters of the state joint security task force, Operation Burst, and handed over to the state commander.

    Another member of NURTW, Kabiru Adekunle, said he bolted away from his house immediately he was informed by a source that the members of the union were heading towards his house.

    The two men called on Makinde to save the state from being turned into a battlefield with those they described as miscreants lording themselves over others.

    Commander of the Operation Burst Captain Peter Osolo, who confirmed that some NURTW men were brought to the outfit, said he released them when he discovered that nothing incriminating was found on them.

     

     

  • Two workers dead, one injured in Ibadan quarry accident

    TWO middle-aged men working at a quarry site in Ibadan, Oyo State, lost their lives yesterday when the excavation suddenly caved in on the workers at Ologuneru, on Eleyele-Eruwa road.

    One other worker also suffered injuries.

    The Oyo State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corp, Corps Commander, Chukwurah Uche, confirmed this to The Nation in Ibadan.

    According to her, “our officials were alerted by the residents of the area around 3p.m. that a quarry had caved-in and two people lost their lives.

    “We evacuated their bodies to a mortuary while the third person who sustained injury was taken to the hospital,” Uche added.

    Read Also: Ibadan violent protest: Oyo police chief regrets shooting

    The accident, which happened at Carpenter Bus Stop, Ologuneru, attracted scores of sympathisers.

    Many sympathisers were seen at the scene of the incident,  discussing the sad development in hush tones.

    Three men, according to a witness, were at the site packing sand into a truck when the heap of sand, which is about two-storey building high, suddenly caved in and covered the three men below.

    The witness said aside FRSC, policemen and National Emergency Management Agency officials also stormed the area for possible rescue operation.

    A source said: “The three men were loading that truck with sand when the sand collapsed on them and the truck.

    “One of them was immediately rescued with bruises on his head. He was taken to the hospital. But, the remaining two were covered completely and there were no equipment to pack the sand.

    “We had to use their shovels before they brought that loader. By the time help came, one man was completely dead while the other one was still breathing died thereafter.”

     

     

     

     

  • CCB: we’re waiting for directive to verify Makinde’s N48b assets

    Director of Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) in Oyo State Mr. Moses Atolagbe said on Wednesday he was waiting for directive from the agency’s head office to verify the N48 billion assets declared by Governor Seyi Makinde.

    It followed the torrent of comments that trailed Makinde’s declaration.

    Atolagbe, who spoke in an interview with reporters in Ibadan, noted that there were few people in the last administration in the state, who are yet to comply with asset declaration.

    He said: “We have a few people that have not complied with the position of the law.

    “They are very few in number; some of them are out of the country and others based it on health ground.

    “They have got in touch with the bureau and one of them showed up on Monday.

    Read Also: Makinde declares N48bn assets

    “We will just give them a little ample opportunity. When they don’t comply they would be prosecuted.

    “We have done that before; a former commissioner Oyo State in time past had been prosecuted for failure to comply,” Atolagbe said.

    The CCB boss said some newly appointed public office holders had pick up their asset declaration forms, but some are yet to return them.

     

  • Oyo recovers five additional vehicles

    Barely six days after it recovered 14 vehicles said to be carted away by officials who served in the immediate past administration, Oyo state government on Tuesday said it has recovered additional five.

    The vehicles, which bring to a total of 19, have been recovered from a mechanic workshop in Olodo area of the state.

    The vehicles include two Nissan civilian buses, one Volare W8 armoured bus, one Mitsubishi Montero Jeep and Hyundai car.

    The recovering process was said to be the fruit of intelligence report from members of the public who knew where the vehicles were parked.

    The Executive Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Security Matters, Mr. Sunday Odukoya, who led the recovery team to the mechanic workshop, said findings revealed two of the buses were in good working conditions but were on the verge of being repainted.

    While confirming the vehicles were among those carted away by the officials of the past administration, Odukoya said more would be recovered with time.

    He did not give the details of the identities of those who parked the vehicles at the mechanic workshop or those behind moves to change the colour of the vehicles.

    Read Also: Ibadan violent protest: Oyo police chief regrets shooting

    He said: “Intelligent report was received by His Excellency and it was passed to me and I have to trace it down here. And that intelligence information has led us to this particular place where five government vehicles are recovered.

    “The recovered vehicles include three buses, one of which is an armoured vehicle; one Montero jeep and one Hyundai car, making a total of five vehicles.

    “Two of the buses are in good condition but surprisingly, they wanted to change the colours.

    “Because from the responses got from the mechanic in charge of this workshop, he said the vehicles are in good conditions but only that they wanted to change the colours.

    “They are obviously parts of the vehicles of government that were carted away, at least going by their registration numbers and details. So, there is no doubt that they are all government vehicles.

    “Initially, 14 vehicles were recovered if 14 had been recovered, this is another five making it a total of 19 that have been recovered till date. We are sure we will recover more with time.”

  • Ibadan violent protest: Oyo police chief regrets shooting

    Oyo State Police Command has appealed to Ibadan residents over the shooting of a commercial motorcycle operator on Saturday by a police sergeant.

    He urged them to shield their swords by allowing peace to reign.

    According to Commissioner of Police Shine Olukolu, the action of the police Sergeant, Sunday Ogunkanmi, was regretted.

    In a statement he personally signed, Olukolu, while giving a narrative of the crisis that engulfed part of Ibadan on Saturday, confirmed that the sergeant, who opened fire on the motorcycle rider, is in custody.

    He said the matter has been transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), where the case is being investigated.

    He, however, described as untrue and mischief, the news by a section of the media which reported that the motorcyclist was dead after been hit by the sergeant’s bullet.

    Appealing to the residents to always refrain from taking the law into their hands in case of any occurrence in the future, the police chief added that the motorcycle rider, Sule Ikuforiji, is alive at the University College Hospital (UCH) and not in emergency or Intensive Care Unit.

    He added that Ikuforiji is responding to treatment and the police are taking responsibility for his medical care.

    On what led to the crisis, Olukolu said: “On Saturday, a six-man police patrol team from Alakia, Adelubi Division, led by an inspector, left their office on morning duty patrol in consonance with constitutional responsibility of the police to protect life and property.

    Read Also: A look at APC’s loss in Oyo State

    “While on duty at Academy area of Ibadan, the team sighted a motorcyclist with an unusual number of passengers – four in all. But when flagged down on routine stop and search, he refused and proceeded.

    “Due to the positioning of the men, the arms sentry man, Sgt. Sunday Ogunkanmi, who was the last man on professional positioning, made effort to stop him. Consequently, there was a scuffle and they all fell down, and the others took to their heels, but the apparently already corked weapon was fired and hit the rider on the left elbow and grazed his ribs and hence he was hospitalised.”

    He added: “The concerned mischief-makers, who heard the sound of gunshot concluded that the man was dead and, therefore, circulated the untrue story. A spontaneous uninformed angry mob immediately descended on the team, damaged the windscreen of the patrol vehicle and injured two members of the team.

    “Thereafter, the mob proceeded to Egbeda Division, but they were repelled, though the vehicles had their windscreens damaged. Not done yet, the mob proceeded to Alakia Adelubi Division with a view of burning it down. At the scene, all entreaties for understanding and peace were rejected by the multitude.

    “They proceeded to attack the officers and men protecting the station with all manner of dangerous weapons and stones, thereby damaging three other vehicles’ windscreens, part of the police station, particularly the sliding glasses. They also vandalised some of the offices and the charge room. In the ensuing melee, one of the mob with 25 litres of petrol began to wet the police station with petrol and set ablaze part of it. In the process, he was unfortunately hit and lost his life on the way to hospital, while others escaped and normalcy was restored. Two of the motorcycles the mob rode to the station and the partly used 25 litres keg of petrol were recovered.“

  • Oyo Assembly to give Makinde’s bills accelerated hearings

    The Oyo state House of Assembly says the three bills sent to it by the state governor, Seyi Makinde, will be given accelerated hearing, describing them as important, germane and pivotal to addressing critical issues facing the state.

    The bills, according to the lawmakers, are: the Anti-grazing Bill, the Anti-corruption Bill and the Investment Promotion Bill.

    Speaking on behalf of the lawmakers, the Speaker, Right Honourable Adebo Ogundoyin, made the disclosure yesterday while featuring on a live interview programme on an Ibadan-based radio station, Beats FM, Ibadan.

    According to the Speaker, the anti-grazing bill will address one of the most controversial issues in the country and put many minds to rest.

    Read Also: PDP hails Makinde on Supreme Court victory

    He said, “It is good that the presidency has eventually suspended the Rural Grazing Areas project popularly called RUGA Settlement.

    “The different reactions that trailed the announcement of RUGA project were indications of how sensitive the issue is. The anti-grazing bill will be painstakingly deliberated upon by the members of the ninth Oyo Assembly at its plenary.”

    On the anti-corruption bill, the Speaker said the house will help actualise the dream of the governor in having an anti-graft agency which will look into cases of mismanagement, fraud and embezzlement of public funds and other related matters in the state.

    “Governor Seyi Makinde is demonstrating the resolve of his government to run a corrupt free administration and the establishment of an anti-graft agency in the state is enough a warning to everyone directly or indirectly working with him.

     

     

     

  • PDP hails Makinde’s court victory

    THE victory of the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, at the Supreme Court in the case instituted over the governorship primary election that produced him as Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) standard-bearer in the March 9, 2019 governorship election has been lauded by the state chapter of the party.

    The PDP, in a congratulatory message signed by its chairman, Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha, and Alhaji Wasiu Emiola, described the governor’s victory as a testimony to the transparent, free and fair primary that produced him and other PDP candidates in the state.

    The party warned members to desist from instituting needless litigations but to ensure that they use the internal mechanisms available in the party to resolve all issues.

    The Oyo State PDP, in the statement in Ibadan, the state capital, said the decision of the Supreme Court on the suit filed by Senator Ayoade Adeseun, vindicated the process that threw up the party’s candidates as credible and democratic.

    The party, which pledged its continued support to Governor Makinde as the leader of the party, assured residents of the state the administration of Governor Makinde would run the state with the same measure of credibility and transparency, ensuring that integrity, transparency and zero tolerance for corruption would be his watchwords.

    Read Also: Oyo Assembly to give Makinde’s bills accelerated hearings

    The Oyo PDP added that the Makinde would be a clear departure from the era of impunity, indiscipline and lack of accountability known with the previous government, just as it noted that the present leadership of the party led by the State Chairman, Alhaji Mustapha would make the PDP enviable in the state.

    “We want to assure the people of Oyo State that the government of the PDP will be a clear departure from the past when impunity, indiscipline, disorderliness and lack of cohesion were the order of the day,” the statement said.

  • PDP hails Makinde on Supreme Court victory

    The victory of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, at the Supreme Court in the case instituted over the primary election that produced him as Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) standard-bearer in the March 9, 2019 governorship election has been lauded by the state chapter of the PDP.

    The party, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Engr Akeem Olatunji, described the governor’s victory as a testimony to the transparent, free and fair primary election process that produced him and other PDP candidates in the state.

    The party warned members to desist from instituting needless litigation but use internal mechanisms available in the party to resolve all issues.

    The Oyo State PDP, in the statement in Ibadan, said the decision of the Supreme Court on the suit filed by Senator Ayoade Adeseun, vindicated the process that threw up the party’s candidates as credible and democratic.

    Read Also: Makinde transmits executive bill on Oyo EFCC to Assembly

    The party, which pledged its continued support to Makinde as the leader of the party, assured residents of the state that the administration of Governor Makinde would run the state with the same measure of credibility and transparency, ensuring that integrity, transparency and zero tolerance for corruption would be his watchwords.

    The Oyo PDP added the Makinde administration would be a clear departure from the era of impunity, indiscipline and lack of accountability known with the previous government, just as it noted that the present leadership of the party led by the State Chairman, Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha would make the PDP enviable in the state.

    “We want to assure the people of Oyo state that the government of the PDP will be a clear departure from the past when impunity, indiscipline, disorderliness and lack of cohesion were the order of the day,” the statement said.

  • Makinde transmits executive bill on anti-corruption agency to Assembly

    Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has signed and transmitted the Executive Bill on the establishment of the state anti-corruption agency to the House of Assembly.

    At a brief signing ceremony, which held at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office and witnessed by top government functionaries, Makinde said he was sending the executive bill to the lawmakers, owing to his promise the people that there would be zero-tolerance to corruption under his watch.

    Functionaries at the signing ceremony include the Deputy Governor Rauf Olaniyan, Chief of Staff Chief Bisi Ilaka, the Head of Service, Mrs. Amidat Agboola, Governors Chief Press Secretary Mr. Taiwo Adisa, Special Advisers Mr. Jide Ajani (Media) and Mr. Samuel Adejumo (Legislative Matters), Permanent Secretaries among others.

    Read Also: How I will reposition Oyo, by Makinde

    Makinde, while appealing to the people not to attach any political colourations to the move, noted that corruption does not know any party, but had succeeded in stagnating the state.

    He warned the Permanent Secretaries at the event and others serving in various positions to be ready to give an account of what is put in their trust should the need be, as soon as the law gets the legislative backing.

     

  • Oyo lawmakers advise Governor on security summit resolutions

    The Oyo State House of Assembly has called on the state government to ensure a speedy implementation of the various resolves and recommendations made by stakeholders at the end of the recent security summit in Ibadan.

    This is as the House also called on Governor Seyi Makinde to prevail on the various security agencies to beef up security to reduce crimes, especially the rising cases of kidnapping and ritual killings witnessed in some parts of the state.

    These were parts of the resolutions of the House while deliberating on a motion on the need to bring an end to cases of kidnapping and ritual killings now rampant in Oke Ogun, Oyo, Ibarapa and others.

    The motion was jointly sponsored by three lawmakers- Mustapha Olawale (Kajola), Peter Ojedokun (Ibarapa Central/Ibarapa North) and Isiaka Tunde (Oyo East/Oyo West).

    Read Also: Oyo ADC stakeholders disown Lanlehin

    The plenary presided over by Speaker Adebo Ogundoyin equally called on the heads of security agencies to synergise in ensuring that perpetrators of kidnapping and ritual killings are apprehended and also prosecuted to serve as deterrent to other criminally minded individuals across the state.

    Ogundoyin noted that it was unfortunate that many residents of Oyo State and Nigerians are worried because of the spate of kidnapping and ritual killings.

    He urged security agents to be more proactive in tackling the menace, saying: “It is high time we tackle the issue of kidnapping headlong as the ugly act seems to be on the increase, especially among people identified as foreigners.”

    The sitting equally recommended the use of vigilance groups in local government areas to complement the efforts of security agencies at ending the activities of kidnappers and ritual killers.