The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Task force

  • Censors Board Task Force arrests three piracy suspects at Alaba

    Censors Board Task Force arrests three piracy suspects at Alaba

    Three men suspected to be pirates of film and musical works were, early Monday morning arrested in a raid carried out by the newly inaugurated task force on uncensored and unclassified movies by the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB).

    The raid, led by notable marketer and member of the task force, Mr. Gabriel Okoye, aka Igwe Gabosky, took place at the popular Alaba market, leading to the seizure and confiscation of films and replicating machines estimated to be worth over N50million.

    The suspects were then taken to Area E Police Station Festac Town, Lagos, where they were interrogated.

    While journalists waited for the arrival of the suspects at Area E Police Station, a member of the task force, Nobert Ajaegbu told The Nation reporter that the movement was being delayed because “the market union has been raising all sorts of money to bribe and frustrate the process. But, we are adamant,” he said

    “As I speak, there is still contributions ongoing at Alaba,” he added.

    Some of the movies that were seized included titles such as ‘Ayamma’, ‘Wedding Party’, ‘Three Wise Men’, ’30 Days in Atlanta’, ‘A Trip to Jamaica’, ‘Lekki Wives’, ‘Wives on Strike’, ‘Jennifer’s Diary’, and ‘Fifty’.

    The suspects , he said, were Ndu Celestine, Okechukwu Ikuagwu and Austine Ugokwe.

    Members of the task force were said to have swept on the suspects at about 1.30am on Monday.

    The special taskforce was constituted by the NFVCB in June, to checkmate the upsurge of unlicensed and unclassified movies in the country.

    The move was one of the steps taken by the new Executive Director of the Board, Alhaji Adedayo Thomas, who assumed office barely six months ago.

    The feat, according to many, was a subtle approach to minimize piracy of intellectual property in Nigeria.

    Inaugurating the 8-man taskforce at the Ikoyi office of the agency, Thomas said the reconstituted national taskforce against unwholesome movies, was one of the mandates given him by President Muhammadu Buhari “to revitalize the dying dreams of the founding fathers of the film industry, whose shear efforts brought the sector to phenomenal limelight, but have so far recorded pains and tears as a result of the sabotaging works of people bent on crippling the industry.”

  • 74 arrested as task force demolishes shanties

    The Lagos State Government has begun the demolition of illegal structures, shanties and containerised shops in Obalende to facilitate free flow of drains and canals.

    Seventy-four persons were arrested during the exercise for smoking and selling drugs.

    A statement by the State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit (Task Force) said the 48 hours abatement notice served on the traders/occupiers the structures expired on Thursday.

    The government, he said, gave them another 48 hours grace to move before the demolition began.

    The statement said the activities of the traders, mechanics and people living around the fly-over was an eye-sore. They all dump refuse and used tyres into the canals and drains said the statement signed by the task force chairmen, Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Superintendent of Police (SP).

    Egbeyemi said over 120 illegal structures, shanties and containerised shops had so far been demolished; 20 vehicles abandoned under the fly-over were removed.

    He said those arrested would be screened before being taken to court.

    A man Mr Sunday Eze said he has been staying under the Obalende fly-over for over 17 years with his family.

    “I am 70 years of age and I have been living with my wife and three children under Obalende bridge since I left Abia State over 17 years ago”

    Eze, who said he did not have any relative in Lagos, hailed the government for giving him the grace to remove his properties before the demolition.

    A trader, Alhaja Bilikisu Adigun, said she had been trading and living inside a containerised shop under Obalende fly-over with her husband for over 23 years.

  • Task force arrests suspected kidnapper in Oshodi

    Task force arrests suspected kidnapper in Oshodi

    The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences (Task Force) have arrested a 31-year-old man, Idama Endurance for allegedly abducted a six-month-old baby, Darasimi Akinyemi, at 55, Oshodi Road, Oshodi, Lagos.

    A statement by the task force said Endurance was arrested during a midnight patrol by officers of the taskforce on Monday night.

    Its chairman, Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Superintendent of Police, said the suspect was saved from been lynched by a mob.

    The suspect, who stays in the same compound with the mother of the baby, he said, illegally entered her room at mid-night.

    “The baby’s mother, Mrs Banke Akinyemi, 29, said the suspect came into her room around mid-night while she was asleep and took her baby.

    “She claimed that it was the cry of the baby that woke her up and immediately the suspect dumped the baby and ran outside. Mrs Akinyemi said her mother who is staying with her and other neighbours apprehended the culprit,” Egbeyemi said.

    Endurance, who hails from Obiakuruku area of Delta State, debunked the allegations.

    He said he was drunk at a birthday he attended and when he got home at mid-night he had to jump the gate because he could not locate the key.

    “Yes it was after I jumped the gate that I entered into their room looking for a key to the gate as their door was not locked. Since I moved into the compound a year ago I have been eyeing the mother of the child and when our landlady told me she was two months pregnant then I immediately stayed off,” he said.

    The landlady, Mrs. Johnson Esther, said she was surprised when the matter was reported to her, claiming that the activities of the suspect looked suspicious as he comes home late and usually jumped the gate to enter the compound most times.

     

  • Lagos task force arrests suspected kidnapper at Oshodi

    Lagos task force arrests suspected kidnapper at Oshodi

    Operatives of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit (Task Force) have arrested a man, Idama Endurance who was alleged to have abducted a 6 months old baby girl, Darasimi Akinyemi, at No 55, Oshodi Road, Oshodi, Lagos.

    According to a press release signed by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Agency, Adebayo Tolaofiq Endurance was arrested during a midnight patrol by officers of the taskforce between Sunday and Monday night.

    The Chairman of the Task Force, Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Superintendent of Police disclosed that the suspect would have been lynched to death but for the quick intervention of his men who were on duty who saved the situations.

    According to Egbeyemi further preliminary investigations conducted by the Agency revealed that the suspect who stays in the same compound with the mother of the child illegally entered her room at mid-night.

    The Chairman stated that the suspect would be transferred to Lagos State Criminal Investigations Department, Panti, Yaba, Lagos for further investigations with the directives of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police Mr. Fatai Owoseni.

    The mother of the baby, Mrs Banke Akinyemi, 29yrs, said the suspect came into her room around mid-night while she was asleep and took her baby from het side.

    She claimed that it was the cry of her baby that woke her up and immediately the suspect dumped the baby and ran outside.

    Mrs Akinyemi who hails from Ejigbo in Osun State stated that it was her mother who is staying with her and other neighbours within the compound who quickly woke up and apprehended the culprit.

    According to her “If not for the intervention of the operatives of the Lagos State Task Force who were on a mid-night patrol the man would have been lynched to death”.

    Endurance, 31yrs, who hails from Obiakuruku area of Delta State debunked the allegations that he abducted the baby.

    He confessed to have gotten drunk at a birthday he attended the previous night and when he got home at mid-night he had to jump the gate as he could not locate the gate key.

    “Yes it was after i jumped the gate that i entered into thier room looking for a key to the gate as their door was not locked”.

    According to the suspect “Since i moved into the compound a year ago i have been eyeing the mother of the child and when our landlady told me she was two months pregnant then i immediately stayed off”

    Endurance who claimed to be trading on ‘linen clothing’ materials at Kairo market at Oshodi however confirmed  that other neighbours within the compound and passers-by have started beating him calling him ‘Kidnapper’ before the arrival of the operatives of the Lagos State Task Force.

    The landlady, Mrs. Johnson Esther of same address said she was surprised when the matter was reported to her, claiming that the activities of the suspect looked suspicious as he comes home late and usually jumped the gate to enter the compound most times.

     

  • Two feared killed as task force, Hausa traders clash in Rivers

    Two people have been feared killed in a clash between some Hausa traders and some youths believed to be local government task force team in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.

     The Nation gathered that the trouble  started when some youths from Eleme, who are operating as task force went to Opaku park in Onne to demand payment of dues from Hausa traders who are doing business in the area.

    Mr. Franklin Bobmanuel,  who witnessed the incident, narrated that the youths picked offense when the traders declined paying the tax which  resulted to free for all.

    Bobmanuel said one of the tax officials died during the fight and that the task force on noticing that one of them was dead killed one of the traders.

    The Rivers State police command confirmed that  a church and a mosque were  burnt down.

    Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command DSP Nnamdi Omoni confirmed that the two groups clashed in Eleme.

    Omoni said: “ We are aware of the Incident, but I am yet to get detail of what happened. We have swung into action, our men have been deployed to the area to maintain calm and we are investigating the matter, we will make the report available as soon as we are through.”

     

  • Lagos asks markets to establish task force on sanitation

    Lagos State Government has mandated all the 93 markets within Lagos Island Central Business Districts (CBD) to set up a task force on sanitation, warning that any market that fails to comply with the directive will be shut down indefinitely.

    Special Adviser to the Governor on Central Business Districts, Mr. Agboola Dabiri who disclosed this at a sanitation and awareness creation meeting with market leaders inside the Youth Centre, Onikan, Lagos Island, said the extent of waste generation in markets on the Island has become worrisome and the State Government was taking drastic measures to tackle the situation once and for all.

    He said: ‘’any market that fails to set up the task force on clearance and effective disposal of waste and refuse will definitely be shut down’’

    Lagos, he said, has been in the fore front of cleanliness and hygienic market situation towards forestalling outbreak of epidemic disease, adding that no stone will be left unturned at ensuring that the huge refuse that are in several places on Lagos Island CBD is cleared up, as the CBD has put series of plans in motion to ensure the clearance.

    “Traders themselves have a lot to gain from clean and serene environment as it is a sure panacea to a disease-free society”, Dabiri said.

  • Hamburger: Task force arrests gang members

    Hamburger: Task force arrests gang members

    Some members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and Motorcycle Operators Association (MOALS) of Lagos State (MOALS) have been arrested over the skirmish that followed the death of Rasak Bello, aka Hamburger.

    Hamburger was Oshodi Chairman of MOALS, an affiliate of NURTW.

    Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit (Task Force), said the suspects were being interrogated.

    It assured residents of Mafoluku, Sogunle, Sadiku, Ladipo and Oshodi of their, urging them to go about their business.

    The task force Chairman, Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Superintendent of Police (SP) said transport union activities in Oshodi were under agency’s control.

    According to him, security men have been strategically positioned for the maintenance of peace and orderliness.

    He warned miscreants and hoodlums to desist from causing chaos around Oshodi and other parts of the state, noting that anyone arrested would be prosecuted.

  • Task force destroys Indian hemp, drugs worth millions

    •115 held in Mushin, Fadeyi raids

    The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) has destroyed weeds suspected to be Indian hemp worth millions of naira at the Olusosun Dump Site.

    The task force Chairman, Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Superintendent of Police (SP), burnt the illegal drugs, including codeine, Indian hemp and others.

    A statement by the task force said Magistrate Tosin Ojuromi gave the order on Friday following the prosecution of 36 miscreants and hoodlums arrested during a fracas between Alamutu and Akala-Elegba boys at Idi-oro, Mushin, Lagos.

    Egbeyemi, it said, led his men to arrest another 115 miscreants including two women during an over-night operation around Fadeyi, Akala and Idi-oro between 1:30am and 6am on Friday.

    The statement said preliminary investigation showed that a suspect, ‘Lanre Olowojobi (a.k.aPumpy) allegedly killed and raped women around Mushin.

    In the 115 suspects, 114 were arraigned before Magistrate Lateef Owolabi of the Oshodi Mobile Court on Friday. They were charged with ‘belonging to unlawful society, conducts likely to cause breach of peace and disorderly manner without visible means of livelihood.

    They pleaded guilty.

    Magistrate Owolabi sentenced them to one year imprisonment each with N70,000 fine option.

    The case of Olowojobi, 37, from Ipoti Ekiti State was transferred to the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID) at Panti, Yaba, Lagos.

    The task force claimed that Olowojobi said the pump action guns and other dangerous weapons used during any fracas around Idi-Oro, Fadeyi and Akala in Mushin were kept by their leader who he described as a branch Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

  • Task force shuts medicine stores

    Ondo State Joint Task Force on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Food at the weekend mopped up fake drugs.

    Liable patent medicine stores were sealed off.

    The task force comprising officials of the Ministry of Health, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and National Agency for Food Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), was constituted last Tuesday.

    It was among others saddled with the responsibility of reducing fake drugs.

    The task force was empowered to seal off premises of companies, which contravened the rules governing the practice of patient medicine and pharmaceutical stores.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Taye Oni, inaugurating the task force, vowed to make the state uninhabitable for those dealing in harmful drugs.

    Some of the stores shut include  Shessy Patient Medicine Store on Hospital Road, Akure where dangerous and controlled drugs, such as Flunitrazepalm (Swinol), Misoprostol tablets without NAFDAC number, Analgin and 200mg Tramadol, dangerous to health, stored in an unconducive environment, were found.

    The task force also sealed off TOKs Leve Patient Medicine Store, 17, Ijomu Street, Akure, for flaunting the rules of operation and possession of harmful drugs.

    The Chairman of the task force, Gbenga Lasekan, blamed the infiltration of dangerous drugs without manufacturers’ names and addresses into the market on porous borders.

    He said the culprits would be prosecuted.

  • Task force demolishes 120 ‘illegal’ shops, structures

    Task force demolishes 120 ‘illegal’ shops, structures

    Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) operatives have demolished over 120 illegal shops and structures under high tension cables at Itedo area of Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

    The demolition was carried out on Saturday after the expiration of a six-month notice served on owners and occupier of the structures, the agency said.

    The task force chairman, Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Superintendent of Police (SP), who led the operation, said the owners and occupiers got a reminder four weeks ago and had been compensated by government.

    According to him, radiation from high tension cables poses danger to human health and as such no government would put its citizens’ lives at risk.

    Egbeyemi said hoodlums and prostitutes hibernated in the structures.

    He urged both owners and occupiers of shops and structures constructed under high tension cables to immediately remove them as the demolition exercise would be extended to other areas.

    A trader, Mrs Efe Ada, from Benue State, claimed she relocated after getting the demolition notice.