The Nation Newspaper

Tag: residents

  • Ondo community residents protest kinsman’s murder

    Residents of Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, yesterday protested the murder of Prince Lebi Titiola by those suspected to be the “palace boys” of the town’s traditional ruler, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo.

    But the monarch debunked complicity in Lebi’s death.

    The peaceful protest came four days after the monarch was granted bail by the police in Abuja. It was organised by youths from all the ruling houses and various women‘s groups.

    The protesters, including the parents of the deceased, Mr. and Mrs. Titiola, berated the police for granting Oba Afolabi bail without arraigning him.

    The protesters went round the town, carrying placards with inscriptions, such as “Oba Afolabi must go”; “Governor Olusegun Mimiko, please save us from Afolabi’s dictatorship”; “Prosecute Oba Afolabi now”; “We don’t want you again”; “You can’t rule us anymore”; “Stay away from our town” and “Mimiko please dethrone Oba Afolabi now’’, among others.

    Mrs. Titiola wept profusely during the protest and invoked the spirit of the land to fight for her.

    Mr. Titiola urged well-meaning Nigerians and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) to come to his aid and ensure that his son’s killers are prosecuted.

    He alleged that his son was killed by Oba Afolabi’s “thugs” on March 13 and his body was thrown into the river, where it was recovered three days later.

    Two youth leaders, Princess Arobo Roseline and Mr. Debo Irowaninil, who spoke for the protesters, urged Governor Olusegun Mimiko and the Council of Obas to intervene in the matter.

    Warning the monarch against returning to the town, Irowaninil said: “We can no longer tolerate his unwarranted brutality and harassment. The monarch can no longer rule us. Residents of this town are tired of him. We want peace in this land, not the shedding of innocent blood.”

    One of the “victims” of Oba Afolabi’s alleged brutality, Mr. Mayowa Iletuwa, a security guard at Igbokoda market and a cousin to the deceased, narrated his ordeal.

    Iletuwa said he was arrested by the monarch and detained in the palace for four days for unknown reasons.

    He said: “I was in the market when the palace boys, led by Oba Afolabi, came and asked why I did not pay homage to them. Before I could say a word, the monarch asked his boys to take me to the palace and lock me up.”

    Oba Afolabi and eight of his chiefs were arrested by men of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Akure, the state capital. They were detained for three days before they were granted bail.

    The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) later directed that the monarch be brought to the Force Headquaters, Abuja, for further interrogation, where he was detained until he was granted bail last week.

    Oba Afolabi, who became the monarch of Igbokoda last November, denied the allegation. He said it was the handiwork of his detractors.

  • Alleged fraud: Residents molest council boss

    The ad-hoc committee set up by the Lagos State House of Assembly to investigate alleged financial impropriety against the Chairman of Surulere Local Government, Tajudeen Ajide had an unpleasant experience at the weekend.

    Some residents of the area almost disrupted the exercise, molesting and harassing the council Chairman.

    The residents, who were apparently angry, refused entreaties by members of the committee who urged them to sheath their sword and allow peace to reign in the area.

    Speaking with the newsmen after the inspection, the Chairman of the Committee and Deputy Whip of the House, Rotimi Abiru, said that the unruly attitude of the residents would be properly addressed.

    He assured that he and other members of the committee would ensure that justice prevail in the matter.

    According to him: “When we got there, we saw some of the projects he claimed to have done while some to us do not exist.

    “I don’t want to pre-empt the outcome of the committee’s report because it is an on-going thing and we are going to invite the legislative arm of the council to air their views about the issue to get to the root of the matter and once we are done with our report, it would be for public consumption.”

     

  • Lagos residents want court to stop govt from demolition

    Lagos residents want court to stop govt from demolition

    THE people of Badia East, a slum community in Lagos, have urged a Lagos High Court, Igbosere, to order the state government to stop the demolition of the community.

    The matter, which was stalled last week following the absence of the trial judge, Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye, will be heard today.

    Joint in the suit are the state’s Attorney-General; Ministries of Physical Planning, Environment, Agriculture and Housing.

    Others include the state Physical Planning and Development Authority; Environmental and Special Offences; Taskforce on Environmental and Special Offences; Environmental Sanitation Enforcement Agency; Bayo Suleiman (SP); Ojora of Lagos, Chief Abdul Aromire; and Baale Lucas Medunoye.

    In a motion on notice filed by Social and Economic Rights Action Centre (SERAC), on behalf of the people, the applicants sought an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the state government and its agents from demolishing their homes, businesses or facilities located in the community pending the determination of the substantive suit.

    They also prayed the court to restrain the government from developing or making use of any lands cleared by way of demolition at the community, as well as an order restraining Aromire, who is the 12th respondent in the suit, from receiving any payment or other consideration from the state government in exchange for the purported transfer of lands within Badia East.

    Lagos on February 23, demolished part of the Ijora-Badia slum community to pave way for the actualisation of the Ijora housing scheme which is estimated to have about 1,008 housing units, as well as to accomplish the first phase of the state’s light rail project from Iganmu to Marina.

    However, the demolition of the slum community has generated a lot of dust and attracted the attention of international communities such that the matter formed part of issues discussed at Britain’s House of Lords on March 11.

    The British parliament noted that while they support development to improve the living standards of a local population, such exercise should respect the local people’s human rights and should only take place after due consultations with the people.

    Moreover, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), recently sent a delegation from Abuja to carryout field investigation on the demolition of the community.

     

  • Residents scramble for whale washed ashore in Lagos

    The end came on Thursday for a pygmy sperm whale washed ashore in the Lekki area of Lagos.

    Some residents descended on the helpless whale and hacked it to death with assorted tools, including axes and cutlasses.

    In a matter of hours, it had been cut into pieces and shared by the assailants.

    The whale beached close to the site of the Eko Atlantic City. The pygmy sperm whale is a protected animal in some parts of the world.

  • Council chief advises residents

    Council chief advises residents

    Chairman, Ikeja Local Government Area, Hon Wale Odunlami has enjoined the residents to continue to support and cooperate with the council by paying their levies, dues and rates which, he said, will help in moving the council forward. He stated this at a stakeholders’ meeting held at the council’s secretariat.

    He said: “It is only by paying our taxes, rates and dues that the council would have funds to provide necessary basic amenities.”

    He implored the residents to endeavour to maintain the amenities provided for them in order to prevent government from spending money unnecessarily on repairs of the facilities.

    The council boss also used the opportunity to appeal to the residents to maintain peace and understanding, as no government would be able to achieve any meaningful development in an atmosphere of chaos and rancour.

    He opined that most fire incidents are as a result of human error and carelessness. He, therefore, urged the residents to be more safety conscious and proactive in order to save the society from unnecessary outbreak of fire that could wreak havoc on lives and property.

    He also advised that fire extinguishers should be provided in homes, offices and vehicles for safety purposes.

    Continuing he said: “More efforts will be made towards reducing the wide gap between the rich and the poor.”

    The council distributed food stuff such as garri to over 1,000 residents from the six wards of the local government. This is one of the ways the council tackles poverty.

    “It is only gestures like this that would truly narrow down the gap between the rich and the poor,” he said.

    Priorities were given to widows, the aged, women, youths and other less-privileged individuals.

    On waste disposal, the council boss urged the residents to desist from dumping wastes in drains to allow free flow of water to prevent any incidence of flooding and contamination in the area.

    He stressed that the council’s sanitation department is adequately prepared to monitor and protect the environment and to equally prosecute residents who flouted environmental laws.

  • Court strikes out suit seeking to evict 800 residents from Fed Govt’s quarters

    Court strikes out suit seeking to evict 800 residents from Fed Govt’s quarters

    Respite has come for about 800 residents of the Federal Government-owned Transit Village on Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    Justice Mohammed Yunusa of the Federal High Court has struck out a suit instituted by two property companies, seeking to evict the residents, who are civil servants, and assume possession of the land.

    In a ruling, Justice Yunusa declined jurisdiction over the counter-claim brought by the companies – United African Property Development Company (UAPDC) Plc and Transit Village Development Company Limited (TVDCL) – against an earlier suit by the residents.

    The judge upheld a preliminary objection filed against the counter claim by the residents. In declining jurisdiction, the judge held that it was only the state High Court that has the powers to hear land related cases, which do not involve the Federal Government and its agencies.

    Some of the residents – Mallam Isyaku Ibrahim, Mrs. C. Ogunsola, J. I. Isi and Mrs. C. J. Abara (suing by themselves and as representatives of Transit Village residents) had initiated the suit with number: FHC/L/CS/334/2010 upon information that the Federal Government has leased their quarters to UAPDC and TVDCL to jointly redevelop.

    They listed the Federal Ministry of Works, Housing and Urban Development; UAPDC, Bank of Industry and TVDCL as defendants in the suit instituted by the firm of Falana and Falana Chambers. They averred in their statement of claim that some of the occupants of the quarters have lived there for over 30 years and have thei rental deductions made from their salaries for the houses over time.

    The plaintiffs faulted the purported Development Lease Agreement dated January 4, 2010 in favour of the property companies, arguing that they were denied the right to first refusal as contained in circular number: SGF/19/S.47/11/371 of June 27, 2003.

    They averred that those saddled with the implementation of government’s policy of disposing of Federal Government’s properties under the monetization policy, deliberately omitted the Transit Village from properties for which bids and tenders were sought, but included it in the list of desolate and unoccupied properties to be leased out for redevelopment.

    The plaintiffs argued that “nowhere in the circular on monetisation was the redevelopment of residential quarters with legal sitting tenants mentioned. In the various circular published by the Fed Govt, legal sitting tenants were advised not to bid for any other Fed Govt property and thereby curtailing their rights to bid for other properties which prevented them from sourcing for alternative accommodation.”

    They contended that the selling or concessioning of their quarters to both property companies as against the 800 inhabitants, amounted to distributing the wealth of the nation in a manner that ensures its concentration in the hands of few people at the expense of the common good of the majority.

    The plaintiffs argued that the sale of the their abode to private companies, when they were denied the right to first denial and prevented from bidding for other government properties, amounted to a subversion of “a valid and enforceable process stipulated by the Fed Govt.”

    They urged the court to revoke the sale of the Transit Village to UAPDC and TVDCL on the account that as civil servants and sitting tenants, they were denied the opportunity to participate in bidding for their various quarters.

    They also sought a declaration that the purported sale of Transit Village to the companies and Bank of Industry for redevelopment is unlawful, ultra vires, null and void”.

    In response, UAPDC and TVDCL filed a preliminary objection and counter claim.

    They had, in their counter claim insisted on the legitimacy of the lease agreement with the government under which they were to redevelop the property and manage same for 99 years.

    They argued that they went through due process, submitted bids as required and did all that were required under the law.

    The counter claimants averred that the concessioning of the property to them was in line with the government’s intention of “creating a favourable environment for continued and sustainable economic and physical development for the country.”

    They contended that the continued occupation of the quarters by the plaintiffs “is unfair and prejudicial” to their economic and business interests as their investments expended on leasing the land were being tied down “unnecessarily”.

    They argued the court to declare the second counter-claimant,( TVDCL ) “is the lessee from the Fed Govt for a period of 99 years from the date of grant for the purpose of redevelopment of the piece and parcel of land measuring 24,149.8990 Square Meters.”

    The counterclaimants also sought a declaration that TVDCL is the one validly entitled to take possession of the land, and an order granting it possession.

    In an earlier ruling, Justice Charles Archibong, before who the case was initially heard, struck out the plaintiffs’ suit for want of jurisdiction, a decision the plaintiffs appealed.

    Upon Archibong’s transfer from the Lagos division of the Federal High Court, Justice Yunusa took over the case. He elected to proceed with the hearing of the counter claim, and on which he ruled last Tuesday.

     

  • Journalists’ Estate residents appeal to Tambuwal, others

    Residents of Journalists’ Estate in Arepo, Ogun- State  have appealed to Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal and the Sokoto State Governor Alhaji Aliu Wammako,  to redeem  their pledges  for the completion of the estate’s community  centre.

    The duo, along with Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, had pledged to contribute towards Journalists Estate Residents Development Association’s (JERDA’s) initiative in building an ultra-modern community centre for residents of the estate, planned to be the first of its kind in Africa.

    JERDA  had embarked on an appeal fund during the tuning of the sod of the community centre by Tambuwal where Wammako was the special guest of honour on an occasion held with pomp and pageantry.

    Tambuwal, who represented by Hon. Olumide Osoba, a lawmaker representing Obada-Owode Federal Constituency, pledged that Tambuwal would donate to the project.

    The Sokoto State Commissioner for Information, Hon. Danladi Bako, who represented the state governor pledged to support the project with an initial N5million and monitor the project till completion.

    Amosun, who was represented by the Works and Housing Commissioner and his Information Commissioner, Messers Lekan Adegbite and Alhaji Yusuf Olaniyonu also pledged N5 million.

    Amosun has since redeemed his pledge. ButWammako andTambuwal have not.

    In a chat with select reporters at Arepo last week shortly after the vandalism of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipeline by some oil thieves, Chairman of the Estate, Mr Gbayode Somuyiwa, said the first phase of the community centre would soon be decked, adding that work has progressed tremendously since the foundation laying ceremony last year.

    However, he lamented that the delay being encountered  was due to paucity of funds because some of the supporters and promoters of the project were yet to redeem their pledges.

    Commending the donors’gestures, Somuyiwa appealed to Wammako and Tambuwal not to renege on their promises, adding that all hopes of residents lie in the pledges.

    “I want to specially appeal to our donors and supporters, especially Governor Wammako and Tambuwal to come to our aid as quickly as possible as we cannot afford to abandon this project’, he said.

    Somuyiwa, who acknowledged that these personalities are great Nigerians for identifying with such a noble cause, said other state governments could also learn from the governor of Ogun State.

    He expressed JERDA’s appreciation to the Ogun State governor for the prompt redemption of his pledge. He urged the governor not to relent until the project is completed.

     

  • Aba residents hail security agencies on crime-free Yuletide

    Residents of Aba, the commercial nerve centre of Abia State, have hailed security agencies for ensuring a crime-free Yuletide.

    Those who spoke with The Nation noted that the Enyimba city had not enjoyed the type of peace it experienced during the Yuletide in the last two years.

    They said the fear of kidnappers had forced many residents to flee the commercial city.

    According to them, the security initiatives – Operation Show for Force and Visibility Policing – by Police Commissioner Ambrose Asiabor curbed crimes and made the presence of policemen to be felt throughout the commercial city.

    Mr Chibuike Nwachukwu, a resident of Ngwa Road, said the residents now sleep with their two eyes closed, unlike before.

    He said: “I must tell you that we now sleep with our eyes closed, unlike in the previous years when we rushed to our beds as soon as it got dark.

    “Ngwa Road, I can tell you, is now cool and crime-free.”

    A commercial driver, Mr Kingsley Okoro, noted that the presence of police patrol teams on Aba streets and military personnel at various checkpoints on major highways linking the commercial city with other parts of the Southeast and South-South have reduced crime rate.

    He particularly mentioned the difference in the crime rate usually experienced during Yuletide on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway in the past.

    Another resident, Mr Ibezim Nwaka, rated the level of security in Aba at 90 per cent.

    But he said the residents were angry with soldiers at checkpoints.

     

  • Residents condemn police activities

    Residents of Ikotun and Isheri Oshun in Igando/Ikotun Local Council Development Area have cried out to the Lagos State government to come to prevail on policemen from the Isheri Oshun Police Station to stop making movements difficult for them. The residents disclosed that the policemen carry out incessant arrests of motorcycles plying some rural roads that are not among those under the restricted areas by the Ministry of Transportation.

    Speaking to Newsextra, one of the residents and former Travel Manager Daily Times of Nigeria Mr Sunday Ekong said the activities of the men of Nigeria Police Force from Isheri Oshun Police Station have made movement in and out of these areas difficult for residents.

    He said: “These policemen are cashing in on the Lagos State government’s restriction of okada operators from some major roads to short-change the unsuspecting and unenlightened motorcycle operators.

    “We believe that the road linking the low-cost housing estate leading to Jakande Estate gate in Oke-Afa through Isheri Oshun with Ijegun is not among the roads from which okada operators and tricycles are restricted from plying. “Unfortunately, the policemen impound their motorcycles and tricycles on a daily basis. These innocent and unsuspecting commuters and operators of these okada are forced to cough out the sum of N5, 000 before their motorcycles are released to them.

  • Five injured as gunman shoots at Bauchi residents

    The Bauchi State Police Command yesterday said a gunman shot several residents at Bigi Village, near Bauchi.

    Police spokesman Abbas Abdullahi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), confirmed the incident yesterday.

    He said the victims have been taken to the University Teaching Hospital in Bauchi for treatment.

    The police spokesman said not all those who were shot had died.

    Abdullahi explained that some of the victims were receiving treatment at the teaching hospital.

    He said the police had not confirmed the number of casualties.

    The police spokesman, however, assured that the figure would be announced.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the police have cordoned off the area to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

    Also, the police and army formations in Bauchi metropolis have been barricaded.

    NAN learnt that vehicular and human traffic has been reduced while a section of the road to the office of the police commissioner has also been condoned off.

    Access to Army Barracks has since been restricted to forestall attack.

    Five people sustained injuries at a drinking joint when an unknown gunman Monday opened fire in Bigi village a suburb of Bauchi metropolis in Bauchi local Government area.

    NAN gathered that the gunman entered the joint where people were eating and drinking and joined them.

    He said: “After he finished eating, he used his gun and shot three people. Some good Samaritans at the joint attempted to overpower him and arrest him, but he used his gun and hit two people who also sustained injuries before he fled.”

    The source further revealed that all the five injured people have been taken to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital for medical treatment and security has beefed up in the area to prevent further attack or break down of law and order.