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Tag: ikoyi

  • One dead, 3 injured as 2 vehicles collide in Ikoyi

    One dead, 3 injured as 2 vehicles collide in Ikoyi

    One person died and three others sustained different degrees of injuries on Sunday following an accident involving two vehicles in front of Golden Gate, Ikoyi.

    Mr Nosa Okunbor, Head, Public Affairs, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed this in Lagos.

    Okunbor said the accident was as a result of over-speeding by the drivers, saying, “ the vehicles ran into each other at the intersection of the road”.

    He further said that the crash involved an unregistered Ford Ranger SUV, and a Nissan SUV with registration number KD 499 GE.

    “They had a head-on collision at the traffic stop junction of the road, our investigation shows that both vehicles were on top speed.

    “One person, a man, died while three others sustained various degrees of injuries,” the LASEMA official told NAN.

    Okunbor said that two of the injured persons were attended to by the LASEMA’s paramedics before they were taken to the hospital.

    He said that the affected vehicles had been moved to a police station.

  • Saraki kicks as EFCC urges final forfeiture of Ikoyi properties

    Saraki kicks as EFCC urges final forfeiture of Ikoyi properties

    Immediate past Senate president, Dr. Bukonla Saraki on Thursday, opposed an application before a Federal High Court, Lagos, seeking final forefeitrue of two of his Ikoyi, properties.

    The said properties are located at 17 and 17A McDonald Road, Ikoyi, Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Economic and Financial Ctimes Cimmission (EFCC) had obtained an interim order of forfeiture on the properties in November 2019.

    Justice Mohammed Liman had then adjourned the case for any interested party to appear and show cause why a permanent order should not be made.

    The court had also ordered that the interim order be published in a national newspaper to alert such interested parties.

    EFCC applied to court to forfeit the properties to the government, on the grounds that they were obtained with loans from GTBank and repaid back with Kwara State fund.

    Saraki’s counsel,Mr Kehinde Ogunwunmiju,SAN, informed the court that he was already a succussful businessman with properties worldwide before he became senator.

    He said that the EFCC must satisfy the court that such properties formed part of proceeds of any unlawful act by the respondent.

    Respondent’s Counsel informed the court that both the interim and the attempted permanent forfeiture of the two properties was an abuse of court process.

    Counsel further argued that the EFCC was also estopped from re-litigating on the same properties because it had litigated on same before the Code of Conduct Tribunal ( CCT ) up to the Supreme Court but lost.

    He said that Justice Taiwo Taiwo had made an order restraining EFCC from filing such a case adding that the order was still subsisting.

    Meanwhile some of the facts presented by the EFCC before the court are that Saraki while serving as Governor of Kwara, was deducting N100 million from security votes to defray the loan.

    EFCC counsel, Mr Nnaemeka Omenwa argued that the Judgment of the CCT dismissing the case, did not vest property right on Saraki.

    He urged the court not to be persuaded by the arguemnt of counsel but hold in favour of applicant.

    Liman has adjourned untill April 24 for judgment.

  • Again! Sanwo-Olu declares Lekki, Ikoyi plazas toll free today

    Again! Sanwo-Olu declares Lekki, Ikoyi plazas toll free today

    Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared the two toll plazas at Lekki and Ikoyi-Lekki Link Bridge toll free during peak hours today.
    This is in continuation of the government’s simulation survey of traffic situation at the area to reduce traffic congestion.
    A statement by the governor’s Deputy Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, said a toll-free passage at the toll plaza on Lekki-Epe Expressway and Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge would run between 6:30am and 9:30am and also from 4:30pm till 7:30pm.
    The statement said both toll plazas will be free for motorists going to and leaving Lekki axis to allow the state’s consultants complete the traffic simulation survey started a few weeks ago.
    The toll free hours, the governor said, is to allow traffic consultants to the government carry out a comprehensive study of traffic flow around Lekki-Ikoyi-Victoria Island axes, which is part of the initiatives the government is bringing to diffuse vehicular gridlock at major business districts.

  • Ajudua weeps as court orders his transfer from Ikoyi to Kirikiri prison

    Ajudua weeps as court orders his transfer from Ikoyi to Kirikiri prison

    Lagos socialite, Fred Ajudua, wept profusely on Thursday after the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja ordered his transfer from Ikoyi Maximum Prisons to Kirikiri Prisons.

    Justice Mojisola Dada, who issued the order, also declined Ajudua’s request for bail on medical grounds.

    Ajudua, upon hearing that he should be moved from Ikoyi to kirikiri Prisons, bowed down his head in the dock and wept.

    Ruling on the accused bail application, Justice Dada ordered that Ajudua who has been in Ikoyi Prison since the commencement of his trial last year, be transferred to the Kirikiri Maximum Prisons.

    The judge noted that the socialite’s criminal cases are the oldest in the Lagos State judiciary and had suffered several setbacks due to disappearances and health challenges of the defendant.

     

     

  • Motorists to pay new tolls on Lekki, Ikoyi from Feb 1 – LCC

    Barring any last minute change of plan, the Lekki Concession Company Limited (LCC) has announced that it will increase the toll tariffs being charged at the Admiralty Circle Toll Plaza on Lekki-Epe Expressway and the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge Toll Plaza with effect from Thursday, February 1.

    The LCC said in a statement that the upward review followed “extensive consultations held with stakeholders in the Eti-Osa/Lekki-Epe Expressway of Lagos State.

    Although details of the new rate were not disclosed in the statement, the firm said N100 would be paid by any driver of a mini commuter bus using the Lekki-Epe toll plaza, which is an increase of N20 over the N80 currently being charged.

    This, it said, was the agreement it reached with the drivers’ union during the consultations.

    It said the toll fare increase was as a result of current economic and business realities that had adversely affected the cost of operations and maintenance of the company’s loan obligations.

    The Managing Director, LCC, Mr. Mohammed Hassan, said the feedback and recommendations received during the series of consultations held in December 2017 with stakeholders in Eti-Osa Local Government Area and its environs considerably influenced the new toll fares to be paid by motorists plying the expressway and the Ikoyi Link Bridge.

    Hassan said, “Since the commencement of tolling in December 2011, the toll tariffs had remained the same despite the continuous increase in the cost of operations to ensure that the toll plazas and the road infrastructure are well maintained.

    “The toll review has also become necessary to enable the company to meet its loan obligations to its local and foreign lenders, considering the fact that foreign exchange rates have continued to increase astronomically in the last couple of years.

    “The LCC cannot continue to operate or provide the services required from us if we do not review the toll tariffs.”

    The LCC’s attempt to raise the fares on November 8 last year had received public outcry, which made the state government to prevail on the firm to suspend the action.

  • Ikoyi cash: Culprits will be appropriately sanctioned – Buhari

    Ikoyi cash: Culprits will be appropriately sanctioned – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said all those found culpable in the case of large amounts of foreign and local currencies recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in a residential apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos in April would be appropriately sanctioned.

    According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President made the pledge at the Presidential Villa, Abuja while receiving the report of a panel established to review the operational, technical and administrative structure of the National Intelligence Agency.

    It will be recalled that Buhari had suspended and subsequently sacked Ambassador Ayo Oke as the Director-General of the NIA in connection with the discovery of the money which the agency laid claim.

    His sacking was based on the recommendation of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo-led committee which investigated the matter.

    While receiving the report, Adesina quoted Buhari as describing the discovery of monies in the flat at Osborne Towers as an “unfortunate incident which rightly aroused public interest and outcry.”

    The President added, “All the circumstances surrounding the obtaining, keeping custody and disbursement of the funds have been examined by the Vice President’s Committee and all those found to be culpable will be made to account and appropriately sanctioned.

    “However, it must be understood that this cannot be done in a manner that jeopardises national security or exposes the operations of any intelligence agency, which must, by nature be conducted in secrecy.

    “Suffice it for me to assure all that justice will be done consistently with our anti-corruption policies.”

    The President, while commending the Presidential Review Panel on NIA led by a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, for completing their assignment expeditiously, expressed the hope that the recommendations of the panel and that of an earlier committee headed by the Vice-President to look into the Osborne matter will assist government in improving the operations of the NIA and the overall national security architecture.

    “Your panel’s recommendation, informed as they are by your collective experience and expertise in this field, should in particular help to reposition the NIA to better perform its vital functions with greater professionalism.

     

    “The Osborne Tower incident and its aftermath have also brought to the fore the need to review the entire national security architecture, which has now been in operation as established 31 years ago.

    ‘‘Once again, I thank you very much for undertaking this national assignment,” he said.

    Osinbajo was present at the presentation of the report by the panel which has Chief Albert Horsfall, Amb. Zakari Ibrahim and Ambassador Ezekiel Oladeji as members.

  • Finally, FG pays Ikoyi whistle-blower first tranche of N421m commission

    …Jets out of the country after receiving payment

    The Federal Government has paid the first tranche of commission to the whistle-blower who helped the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to recover the $43m, N23.2m and £27,800 (N13bn) from an Ikoyi apartment on April 12, 2017.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Federal Government through the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun had on Monday promised that the whistle-blower will be paid this week.

    According to a report by The Punch, the whistle-blower travelled out of the country less than 24 hours after receiving part of the N421m reward.

    The whistle-blower’s lawyer, Mr. Yakubu Galadima, confirmed the development newsmen on telephone.

    He praised the government for finally honouring its agreement after eight months.

    Galadima also joked that his client did not run mad after receiving the money, as predicted by some government officials.

    He, however, said his client had not been paid in full, adding that the Federal Government had promised to pay him the balance next year.

    The lawyer said, “My client confirmed to me that he had received a credit alert from the Federal Government. He travelled out of the country this morning (Wednesday morning).

    “He has been paid the first instalment but there were many tax deductions. Yes, we are happy. I will give you more details later but I can confirm now that he has received some money.

    “As you can see, my client did not run mad as predicted by Prof. Itse Sagay.”

    Galadima said the Federal Government’s decision to pay his client was an evidence that his client was the real whistle-blower out of the others that had been laying claim to the money.

    At least three persons have laid claim to the commission including one Abdulmumumuni Musa, who has sued the Minister of Finance and the Attorney General of the Federation.

    The National Intelligence Agency had laid claim to the recovered money which has been forfeited permanently to the Federal Government.

    The money, which was recovered from Flat 7B, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, led to the suspension and eventual sacking of the Director General of the NIA, Ambassador Ayo Oke.

    The N13bn recovered from the Osborne Towers was said to have been part of the $289,202,382 the NIA received from the Central Bank of Nigeria in February 2015.

    The transaction was purportedly approved by former President Goodluck Jonathan through the embattled former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).

    On paper, the transaction was known as an intervention fund for national security or special services with the aim of fighting insurgency during the six weeks period between February 14 and March 28 after the election was postponed.

    However, the operatives of the EFCC believe that the money was meant to finance the 2015 general elections.

    No one has, however, been prosecuted till date.

  • Ikoyi whistle-blower to get N421m this week

    Ikoyi whistle-blower to get N421m this week

    The whistle-blower that provided information leading to the recovery of the N13bn Ikoyi loot will receive his commission this week, investigations have revealed.

    The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, had two weeks ago said that the Federal Government would pay the sum of N421,330,595 to only one individual identified for providing information that led to the recovery of the alleged stolen funds hidden in a flat at the Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos.

    Adeosun had said N421,330,595 would be paid to the legitimate informant.

    A senior official in government said that a directive for the release of the fund had been issued by Adeosun. Punch reports.

    The source said all the administrative procedures needed for the release of the fund had been concluded, noting that before the end of the week, the money would be released.

    The source said, “The money for the payment of the Ikoyi whistle-blower is ready and that money is ready for release this week.

    “A directive has already been issued that the money should be released to the whistle-blower and that will be done before the end of the week.”

    The Director of Information in the finance ministry, Mr. Salisu Dambatta, could not be reached for comments as calls and a text message sent to him did not go through.

    According to the Federal Government’s whistle-blower policy, informants in such cases are eligible to receive between 2.5 per cent and 5 per cent of any recovered money.

    Several persons have so far laid claims to providing information that led to the recovery of the huge Ikoyi fund.

  • Rotary Club of Ikoyi partners police to improve medical facilities

    In a bid to improve the quality of healthcare in Nigeria, especially among men and women of the Nigeria Police Force, the Rotary Club of Ikoyi, District 9110, have announced the completion of a refurbishment of the Nigeria Police Hospital, Falomo in Lagos, as a support to the Police to help them continue to deliver their best to Nigerians.

    The club President, Rotarian Isichei Osamgbi while speaking at the official commissioning of the project held at the premises of the Police Hospital Falomo in Lagos noted that this gesture was in line with the values of Rotary which he said is to serve humanity.

    According to him, “It gives us great joy to be able to embark on such a project at a time like this. We at Rotary club of Ikoyi are determined to make immediate impact around us and this is just a start of many of such impactful projects we will be embarking on this year.

    He thanked the management of the Hospital led by the Commissioner of Police, Medical, CP Emeka Nwakor-Osaji, who represented the Force Medical Officer, Assistant Inspector General of Police, Medical- AIG Ahmadu Kaunmi for their partnership and excellent professionalism in the hospital.

    He noted that the conducive medical environment maintained by the Hospital and its management was a big attraction to the club to provide the needed support.

    Also speaking while commissioning project, the District 9110 Governor, Rotarian Dr. Wale Ogunbadejo expressed his delight with the club’s decision to refurbish the hospital. Ogunbadejo, who oversees all Rotary clubs in Lagos and Ogun States, noted that “Rotary club of Ikoyi was one to emulate, with a long standing history of delivering meaningful and impactful projects to the community which is what Rotary stands for.”

    According to the District Governor, the impact of the refurbishment will be felt even by patients who use the facility as the atmosphere would enhance a very quick recovery.

    Expressing the gratitude of the management, the Commissioner of Police, Medial, Nigeria Police Hospital, Falomo, Nwakor-Osaji expressed his profound gratitude to the Rotary Club of Ikoyi and Rotary International at large. CP Nwakor stated that the good works of Rotary towards humanity should be emulated by members of the community. He went on to thank the club for the job well done while promising that the facilities upgraded would be judiciously used to ensure longevity.

    The refurbishment included repainting, remodelling, and donation of mattresses, beddings and and medical equipments.

  • Updated: Court orders final forfeiture of Ikoyi’s $43.4m, £27,800, N23.2m to FG

    Updated: Court orders final forfeiture of Ikoyi’s $43.4m, £27,800, N23.2m to FG

    Justice Hassan of the Federal High Court orders final forfeiture of $43.4m, £27,800, N23.2m discovered in an air-conditioned flat in Osborne, Ikoyi to the Federal Government.

    The funds had been stashed in iron cabinets and “Ghana-must-go” bags in the apartment before they were discovered and recovered on April 11, 2017 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission following intelligence information.

    The anti-graft agency had earlier on April 13, 2017 obtained an interim court order temporarily forfeiting the funds to the Federal Government.

    Justice Muslim Hassan, who granted the interim order, had given 14 days for anyone interested in the funds to appear before him to show cause why the money should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

    But on May 5, 2017 when the matter came up, no one came before the judge to claim the money.

    However, a private legal practitioner, Mr. Olukoya Ogungbeje, appeared before the judge, with an application, urging the judge to suspend the final forfeiture proceedings pending when a three-man panel constituted by President Muhammadu Buhari in relation to the funds would submit its report.

    The panel, headed by the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, was to probe the claim and counter-claim of the Nigeria Intelligence Agency and Rivers State Government to the funds.

    But the EFCC had opposed Ogungbeje’s application and urged Justice Hassan to dismiss it and go ahead with the forfeiture proceedings.

    Ruling on Tuesday, Justice Hassan upheld the EFCC’s submission and dismissed Ogungbeje’s application for lacking in merit.

    The judge described the application as totally strange, noting that having not appealed against the interim forfeiture order, Ogungbeje had no right to seek a stay of proceedings in the case.

    The judge, who noted that Ogungbeje was not a party in the suit filed by the EFCC, described the lawyer as a meddlesome interloper and a busybody, adding that his application was strange to law.

    He advised the lawyer to explore the Freedom of Information Act if he wanted information from the Federal Government on the findings of the Osinbajo’s panel.

    Having dismissed Ogungbeje’s application, the judge subsequently made an order permanently forfeiting the funds to the Federal Government, noting that no one had appeared to show cause why the permanent forfeiture order should not be made.

    Justice Hassan held, “I am in complete agreement with the submission of the learned counsel for the applicant (EFCC) that the property sought to be attached are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities and that by every standard this huge sum of money is not expected to be kept without going through a designated financial institution; more so, nobody has shown cause why the said sum should not be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria. Having regard to the foregoing, I have no other option but to grant this application as prayed.

    “For the avoidance of any doubt, I hereby make the following orders: 1. A final order is made forfeiting the sums of $43,449,947 found by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission at Flat 7B of No. 16 Osborne Road, Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, which sum is reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

    The judge made the same order in respect of the £27,800 and N23,218,000.

    After the judgment, the EFCC lawyer, Idris Mohammed, urged Justice Hassan to award a cost of N5m against Ogungbeje for wasting the judicial time of the court with his application.