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Tag: Lagos State

  • JUST IN: Public defender to take up Evans’ case as trial stalls again

    The absence of defence counsel on Friday stalled the trial of alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans and five co-defendants in an Ikeja High Court.

    Friday’s proceedings which was slated for the adoption of arguments in the defendant’s no-case submission, was stalled due to the absence of the defence counsel for Uche Amadi and Ogechi Uchechukwu (second and third defendants respectively).

    Recall that a similar occurrence happened on March 13. On that day, proceedings were also stalled due to Evans having no legal representation.

    Registering his displeasure over the absence of Amadi and Uchechukwu’s defence counsel, Justice Hakeem Oshodi, queried why they did not make an appearance in court in spite of being notified of the proceedings.

    “The court notes with disgust the attitude of the counsel to the second and the third defendants. Their absence today has stalled any progress in this case.

    “The second and third defendants should note that if they are not present during the next adjourned date, the Office of Public Defender (OPD) will have to take up their case.

    “The Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) should notify the OPD of the next adjourned date. This case is adjourned to July 3, 2020 for adoption of no-case submission,” Justice Oshodi said.

    Earlier during proceedings, the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN) had also requested that the court should make an Order that the OPD should represent Amadi and Uchechukwu on the next court date if their counsel were still absent.

    Evans is standing trial alongside Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba over alleged kidnap of Mr Donatius Dunu, the Chief Executive Officer of Maydon Pharmaceutical Ltd.

    The six defendants were arraigned on Aug. 30, 2017 on two counts of conspiracy and kidnapping.

    The prosecution alleged that the defendants kidnapped Dunu along Ilupeju Road, Lagos on Feb. 14, 2017 and collected 223,000 Euros (N100m) as ransom from his family.

    The pharmaceutical boss, allegedly still held captive by the defendants because his family had not paid additional money to the ransom already collected, escaped captivity and alerted the police.

    Four witnesses including Dunu, testified during the trial on behalf of the prosecution and on Jan. 10, the prosecution closed its case against the defendants.

  • Lagosians groan under new BRT fares

    Lagosians groan under new BRT fares

    Some commuters in Lagos State on Friday expressed dissatisfaction over the hike in fares by the Primero Transport Services Limited, operator of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in the state.

    Recall that the BRT operator on Thursday announced an upward review of transport fares across all routes with effect for Friday to meet up with current challenges.

    The Managing Director of the firm, Mr Fola Tinubu, had told NAN that a trip that cost commuters N200 had been increased to N300, and that of N300 had risen to N500.

    Tinubu said that the firm understood the plight of the people and the economic situation, but that the step became imperative to keep serving the commuters diligently and to provide a world-class service for them.

    According to him, cost of operating the buses had increased so much that the firm is finding it difficult to survive and sustain operations, and had been piling up losses.

    Some commuters plying Ikorodu-CMS axis, however, told NAN that the increase in fares at such a trying time for the masses would further increase hardship and financial burdens.

    “Why are they doing this to the masses at a time when government is supposed to be doing things that will make people survive this difficult time?

    “Even if the hike is truly necessary, it should not be now. More so, there is no increase in pump price. This action is ill-timed.

    “The government is encouraging yellow buses to push up their fares, then life will be more difficult. It should not be now. This will bring hardship, “Mr Gift Wejem, a furniture maker, told NAN.

    Mrs Ade Adesiyan, a media expert, said that the best the government could have done at such a time was to provide bailout funds for the BRT operators if they were finding it difficult to operate.

    Adesiyan, who said that though some people would not be affected by the increase in fares, government authorities should have considered the poor whose burden would be heavier.

    “This is not a good time, but for some of us, we are interested in smart, effective and efficient services. We will be glad to witness reformed services. It will be disappointing if the services remain the same.

    “The time we lose at bus stations waiting for buses is too much. We will be happy if this is addressed now that the fares have been increased.”

    A welder, Mr Titus Oyedeji, who was Lekki-bound, from Ikorodu, said the hike potrayed insensitivity on the part of government.

    Oyedeji asked: “How can government-controlled buses be thinking of profit making at a time when the poor masses are fighting hard to survive? I am not happy at all.”

    According to him, the hike will affect so many people who, because of their pockets, always wait for long on queues to use the BRT buses.

    The BRT operator had earlier withdrawn its services since Monday over losses occasioned by COVID-19 new transport guidelines that mandated it to commute only 20 passengers per trip instead of 70.

    The firm resumed operation on Friday morning with a new fare regime, saying it had received the government’s nod for an upward review.

  • Lagos BRT: Operator speaks on when service will resume

    Lagos BRT: Operator speaks on when service will resume

    The operator of the Lagos Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Primero Transport Services Ltd., says it will restore services on Friday, following talks with the Lagos State Government over withdrawal of its services.

    The BRT operator had withdrawn its services since Monday over losses due to COVID-19 new transport guidelines that mandated it to commute only 20 passengers per trip instead of 70.

    An authoritative source had told NAN that the company might likely run out of diesel and other supplies that would likely disrupt BRT operations in the state.

    Several BRT users had been complaining about this development since Friday when the news broke out and since Monday when the buses were withdrawn.

    Giving an update on the withdrawal of services, Mr Fola Tinubu, BRT Managing Director, told NAN on Thursday that the management felt the pains of commuters in the state since Monday.

    “I withdrew all the buses since Monday because we cannot continue at 20 passengers for 70 capacity buses without increase in fares. The losses, we are piling up, were just too much and threatening.

    “Primero should be back in full operations tomorrow (Friday) because we are talking to the Lagos State Government and all issues will be resolved today.

    “I am sorry for the inconveniences and distress this withdrawal of services has caused the teeming commuters in Lagos who rely on BRT services since Monday.

    “I assure everybody that Primero will be back in full operations tomorrow and we will put 320 buses out to make sure people get to where they are going in a fast and safe way,” Tinubu said.

    According to him, the firm will ensure that going forward, the wait time and queues at bus stations are reduced.

    “We will do all within our power to ensure resumption of operation. We would have resolved all our issues this afternoon,” he added.

    Tinubu, however, did not give details of the agreement reached betwen the state government and his company in respect of the fares and number of passengers to be carried per bus.

    On May 15, NAN reported shortage of BRT buses across various routes, presence of long queues and an increase in awaiting time at BRT stations in Lagos.

    BRT users have been complaining over the shortage of buses since the easing of the current lockdown on May 4.

    The state government had directed the 70-capacity buses to carry only 20 passengers.

  • 19-year-old fakes death on Facebook over financial pressure

    19-year-old fakes death on Facebook over financial pressure

    A 19-year-old girl, Margaret Ikumu, 19, of Oni community in Oju Local Government Area of Benue, has faked her own death on social media to avoid financial pressure from her mother.

    A statement signed by DSP Bala Elkana, the Police Public Relations Officer in Lagos State, made this known on Sunday.

    Elkana said that Ikumu, through her facebook account, reported to have died a few days ago and was secretly buried by her two friends, Marvelous Mary and Nneka Buddy, at Ajah area.

    The family of Ikumu had on May 15, 2020, petitioned the police after the news of her death was announced on Facebook by her friends, Marvellous Mary and Nneka Buddy, whom Margaret allegedly connived with over her disappearance.

    The family, who urged the police to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged death of Margaret, stated that she ‘died’ under controversial circumstances and accused her friends of burying her without their consent.

    According to one Tony Iji, who signed the petition on behalf of the family, Marvellous and Nneka were contacted by the family through Facebook and they told them that Margaret had instructed them not to allow members of her family to know anything about her death; hence she was buried without the family’s consent.

    The petition read in part, “Since then, all efforts by our family and our community here in Lagos to know the cause and circumstances surrounding Margaret’s death have been rebuffed by Marvellous and Nneka, who are the only persons with information about her death. They later sent a chat message on WhatsApp to a member of our family with a picture of a casket showing that Margaret had been buried.

    “All efforts by members of the family to get more details about the death and eventual burial of Margaret from Marvellous and Nneka Buddy have proved abortive due to their refusal to co-operate with us. Miss Marvellous Mary has threatened to discard her phone number 07040869026 after the burial as a way of blocking us from further reaching her and all efforts to call Margaret’s phone number, 0811377322, have not yielded any result as the phone is permanently switched off.

    “We, therefore, appeal to the police authority under your leadership to intervene by investigating the incident with a view to establishing the facts and circumstances surrounding her death and eventual burial without the knowledge and consent of her family.”

    However, in a twist, Margaret was said to have come out of hiding after the petition to the police went viral on the social media.

    According to the family, although the whereabouts of Margaret are still unknown, she has communicated with her mother to tell her that she is alive.

    In another statement by Iji, Margaret claimed that she was not aware of her obituary announcement on her Facebook wall.

    The statement read in part, “To our surprise, in the evening of May 16, the unexpected result from the massive media publicity happened; Margaret, who was purportedly deceased, was forced out of hiding when she was noticed online through her Facebook page, which was offline throughout the period.

    “When contacts were made with her on Facebook, she responded and later received phone calls from her mother and few of her uncles, and she told them that she did not know the reason for the obituary announcement on her Facebook wall.

    “Our findings showed that the whole thing was a deliberate conspiracy by Margaret in connivance with her friends to stage-manage a fake story about her death to confuse her immediate family and the larger society for whatever reason that is best known to them.

    “Till now, we have not been able to extract from her the reasons for her action, because she is still largely incommunicado even though she has affirmed that she is alive.”

    When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, who confirmed the receipt of the petition, said the police had been able to locate Margaret’s whereabouts.

    “I am aware of the petition. We have been able to identify the location of the girl; she’s alive. We will investigate the report of her being dead and the reason behind it,” he stated.

    However, following the investigation, the police in a statement signed by DSP Bala Elkana, the Police Public Relations Officer in Lagos State on Sunday, confirmed that the teenage girl faked her own death on social media to avoid financial pressure from her mother.

    “The family of the fake deceased further stated that they were able to establish contact with the said friends who confirmed to them that their daughter is dead.

    “To make them believe that the girl is dead, they sent WhatsApp chats to a member of the girl’s family with picture of a casket showing that the girl is buried.

    “The family also got in touch with a man on phone who claimed to be her boyfriend. He corroborated the claim that she is dead,” he said.

    Elkana said that the girl was eventually found by the Police to be alive and was working as a house maid in an estate at Ajah.

    “When her employer saw the report of her purported death, they quickly informed the Police and she was brought to Ajah Police Station.

    “In her statement, she (Ikumu) confessed to have created the facebook account and posted her obituary with intent to keep her family away from her.

    “She said that her mother was putting financial pressure on her by constantly demanding that she sends money to her,” he said.

    Elkana said that the girl was apparently bitter with her mother and uncles over their inability to sponsor her education after the death of her father.

    He said that Ikumu came to Lagos to work with a view to saving some money and returning to school.

  • BREAKING: NMA directs doctors in Lagos to return to work

    BREAKING: NMA directs doctors in Lagos to return to work

    The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos State, has reversed the indefinite sit-at-home directive to its members, telling them to resume work from 6 p.m today.

    The Association gave the directive in a joint statement on Thursday in Lagos, by its Chairman and Secretary, Dr Saliu Oseni and Dr Ramon Moronkola, respectively.

    The association on May 20 directed all doctors in the state to immediately proceed on an indefinite sit-at-home strike starting from 6.00p.m of the same day.

    The NMA leaders said their decision was as a result of the conflicting directives by the state government and law enforcement agents on the status of essential workers, including doctors and other health workers regarding movement in the state.

    The leaders also said their action was necessitated the incessant harassment of healthcare workers in Lagos by the security agents.

    “The NMA, Lagos state branch has resolved that it is presently unsafe for its members to continue to provide healthcare services under the present confused arrangement,” they said.

    The NMA leaders said following the directive, the Nigerian Police Force had reached out to the association to clarify and give assurance of their cooperation with all health workers.

    “The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was exemplary as his timely intervention from the late hours of May 19, helped prevent the worsening of the situation.

    “The association has further received assurances from the governor and the top hierarchy of the police, that no health workers will be further harassed in the course of their lawful efforts to sustain services in the middle of the pandemic.

    “Above all, the passionate appeal from the good people of Lagos state is difficult to resist, considering the fact that they will be most hit by the situation,” the statement said.

    The NMA officials commended the governor for his timely intervention and continued assurance in ensuring that health workers who were held by the police were released immediately, and in preventing subsequent recurrence.

    The leaders appreciated the minister of health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, and the Lagos State commissioner for health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, for their timely intervention.

    The NMA reassured the citizens of their commitment to continuing to partake actively in the fight against COVID-19, and the delivery of quality healthcare during the ongoing phased easing of restriction of movement and beyond.

  • COVID-19: Lagos, Abuja, PH airports get ready for reopening

    COVID-19: Lagos, Abuja, PH airports get ready for reopening

    The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) says it has started fumigating the Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt international airports.

    FAAN disclosed this on Tuesday, stressing fumigation of the airports was part of preparations for resumption of operations.

    The three major airports were shut down in March to curtail the spread of the novel Covid-19 Pandemic.

    On May 6, the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 extended the ban on air travels by four weeks which implies that in less than two weeks activities may resume at the three international airports.

     

  • BREAKING: EFCC hands over seized Diezani’s property to Lagos State

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday handed over a property forfeited by former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke to the Lagos State Government.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the property consisting six flats of three bedrooms and a boys’ quarter was forfeited by Mrs Allison-Madueke following an order of a Lagos State Federal High in 2017.

    The EFCC is handing over the property to the Lagos State Government for use as an isolation centre for Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients.

    Speaking during the handover ceremony, the Lagos Zonal Head of the EFCC, Mohammed Rabo stated that the gesture was part of the Commission’s social responsibility efforts towards the fight against the spread of Coronavirus.

    “In addition to our mandate to fight economic and financial crimes, the Commission is committed and ready to render essential services that may be required of it in the fight against covid-19. “Therefore, Lagos State should not hesitate to call on the Commission anytime the need for such essential service arises,” he said.

    In his remarks, the State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, thanked the Commission for the gesture, noting that it was a welcome collaboration between the Federal and Lagos State Government.

  • Police arrest 4 suspects for allegedly killing 16-year-old maid in Lagos

    The Police Command in Lagos, says its men at Bariga station, has arrested four persons over alleged killing of a 16-year old maid in the area.

    DSP Bala Elkana, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state announced in a statement on Sunday in Lagos.

    Elkana said the Police had on Saturday morning, received an information that one Shade Moke, female, aged 41, conspired with three others to allegedly kill one Halimat Sodiq, female, aged 16 over allegation of stealing.

    Elkana said that the victim, who is a house help to Moke, was accused of stealing N2000 from her madam, an allegation she was said to have denied.

    According to the statement, the madam allegedly invited three other persons, who tortured the girl to death.

    “They allegedly buried her secretly at Atan Cemetery in Yaba Lagos, so as to conceal the murder.

    “The four persons, suspected of complicity, were arrested but they denied the allegations.

    “They however, admitted slapping the girl for denying that she stole the money.

    “They claimed that the girl went into convulsion after drinking water and that the victim was taken to three different hospitals before she eventually died,’’ the statement read in part.

    The PPRO said that the suspects also denied burying the victim, claiming that she was buried by her own parents.

    “The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Mr Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Yaba for discreet investigation and diligent prosecution.

    “The suspects will soon be charged to court,’’ Elkana stated.

  • Situation report: Customers storm banks as ease of lockdown begins in Lagos [PHOTOS/VIDEOS]

    Situation report: Customers storm banks as ease of lockdown begins in Lagos [PHOTOS/VIDEOS]

    Commercial Banks in Lagos State on Monday witnessed very large turnout of customers flooding banking premises to carry out various transactions, checks have revealed.

    A correspondent who visited few banks around Ikotun-Egbe, Ejigbo-Isolo and Okota axis of Lagos reports that the crowds at those facilities were enormous.

    That made it difficult for people to maintain the two meters physical distancing as directed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

    The customers also violated NCDC’s guidelines on mass gathering of not more than 20 people outside of a workplace.

    At the Ikotun branches of Zenith Bank, Guarantee Trust Bank and Firstbank of Nigeria, the queues waiting to gain entrance into the banking halls were uncontrollable.

    Customers took turns to get into the premises where they were administered hand sanitisers and their temperature checked before they were allowed entry into the banking halls.

    Mrs Jane Akume, a trader, who complained to NAN about the time she had wasted waiting to get into her bank, prayed that she would be attended to before the bank closed.

    She said: “I have been here since 9am. Before I even got here there were no fewer than 40 people on ground.

    “This is about 1pm and I hear that banks will close by 2 pm. I hope and I pray that my time here is not wasted and that I will be attended to before the closing time,” she said.

    Mrs Patience Benedict, a Civil Servant, complained of the slow pace of bankers in attending to customers.

    However, she applauded the safety measures put in place by the deposit organisations.

    She said: “Aside from that they are slow in attending to people I like the fact that they have put safety tools in place.

    “We are called in and attended to in batches, and as you approach the gate your temperature is checked and you are shown sanitisers on the wall for you to use before getting in.

    “Right in there, you are strictly asked to keep two meters distance from another customer. This is very impressive,” she said.

    See photos/videos below:

    https://twitter.com/OtieraD/status/1257229571080048640?s=19

  • Lagos records another 3 COVID-19 related deaths

    Lagos records another 3 COVID-19 related deaths

    The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, on Sunday announced another three COVID-19 related deaths, as the number of confirmed cases in the state increased to 1,084.

    Abayomi, who disclosed this through his Twitter account, however, did not give additional information about age, sex, nationality and medical history of the deceased.

    “Three more #COVID-19 related deaths were recorded, bringing total number of such deaths in Lagos to 28,” he said.

    The commissioner said as of May 2, the state recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19 infection, increasing the number of confirmed cases in Lagos to 1,084.

    He said: “22 fully recovered #COVID-19 Lagos patients; eight females and 14 males, all Nigerians were discharged.

    “This brings the total number of #COVID-19 discharged patients in Lagos to 247,” he said.

    There were 791 active cases, two evacuated and 16 patients transferred to Ogun and Ondo States.

    Data from the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) shows that there were 43, 060 cases, 1, 761 deaths and 14, 343 recoveries reported from 53 Africa countries.