TheNewsGuru

Tag: Lagos

  • ‘I didn’t know anybody when I came to Lagos’- Efe, Big Brother Naija winner 2017

    Winner of Big Brother Naija 2017, Efe Ejeba has opened up on life before BBNaija. The based on logistics rapper said he didn’t know anyone when he came to Lagos.According to him, When he finished his final year exams, he came to Lagos and gathered the money he made in Jos to rent an apartment.

    He made this known while speaking in an interview with The Nation. According to him:” I’m just someone that has perseverance. I don’t give up. I finished my final year exams and in about two weeks, I packed my bags and came to Lagos. I was just waiting for school to finish. My mother wanted me to go to school and I gave her the certificate and took a walk. So, I came to Lagos, not knowing anybody. I gathered the money I made from my music in Jos and used it to pay for house rent and started life. I would be at home for one week atimes, I won’t go out because I didn’t know anybody in Lagos.

     

    “I just had that drive, that belief that one day, it would happen. I didn’t know how it would happen but today that is how it is. For me, I just feel that every youth should keep doing what they know how to do best and stay focus. That’s why I have three things as my mantra – You gotta believe in God, number two, believe in yourself and number three, you die put”.

    When asked what he has been doing before BBNaija, he said:”It’s music. Music has been what I’ve been doing for the past seven years. I started recording in 2010 and while I was in Jos. I left Jos as an elite artiste but the hunger for more brought me to Lagos in 2015. So, as Big Brother came, I said, ‘this is a big platform to showcase myself.’ If I didn’t go on Big Brother and I came here, no one would answer me”.

     

     

  • Lagos declares June 12 public holiday

    The Lagos State Government on Sunday declared Monday public holiday to mark June 12 celebration in the State, saying that the State remains committed to the ideals of the annulled 1993 Presidential election.

    In a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Tunji Bello on behalf of the State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, the government said the holiday was in honour of the ideals which June 12, 1993 Presidential election represents being a day that the country experienced an election that was adjudged as the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history.

    The Governor said 24 years after, the ideals of June 12 commemoration were worth celebrating, describing the day as one of the most defining moments of the country’s political history which has positively shaped its democratic rule.

    Governor Ambode said the time has come for Nigerians to go beyond the commemoration and entrench a viable democracy as a way to immortalise the late presumed winner of June 12, 1993 Presidential election, Chief M.K.O Abiola through the practice of true federalism and conduct of credible and fair elections. He said: “June 12, 1993 is a day we must not forget in the annals of our democratic history.

    Our present democratic experience may still be far from the ideal but we must all make concerted efforts to entrench fiscal federalism which is the only way to achieve true nationhood.” Continuing, Governor Ambode said part of the enduring lessons of June 12 election is that it imbued the patriotic and nationalistic zeal in all Nigerians to speak with one voice to make a political choice devoid of ethnic, racial or social sentiments.

    “On June 12, 1993, majority of Nigerians across all divides demonstrated through the ballot box that irrespective of class or ethnic sympathies, the Nigerian people are united and would always join hands to promote our unifying values,” he said.

    Governor Ambode said though the peoples’ hope was dashed with the annulment of the elections by the military junta, the lessons of the elections cannot be wished away despite subterranean efforts by many to do, describing June 12 as the real Democracy Day in Nigeria.

    “We owe it a duty to genuinely immortalize the fallen heroes of the June 12 struggle nationally and deepen our democratic values to ensure that never again will such anti-people action be allowed to take place”.

    He also assured that his administration remains committed to the ideals of June 12 by carrying out people-oriented programmes across the State and making life more comfortable for the people.

    Meanwhile, the State Government, through the office of Civic Engagement, has perfected arrangement for the annual public symposium which will hold at the De Roof, LTV 8 in Ikeja, to celebrate June 12.

     

  • Revealed: ‘America’ behind abduction of Lagos students

    Revealed: ‘America’ behind abduction of Lagos students

    Soldiers attached to Operation Delta Safe, a joint task force saddled with ridding Ikorodu and environs of the militants terrorising the area, tracked down and killed one of their most prominent leaders, a militant leader called Ossy Ibori (aka OC) in Ajakpa, Ondo State.

    In the operation in which a soldier was killed, Ibori and his gang members were engaged in a gun duel that ended when the militant leader was shot dead at about 3 am on May 1, 2017,.

    His men fled and dispersed but shortly after, they were said to have come together again under OC’s deputy, a Delta State indigene in his late 30s called Oniwei America.

    Police sources told newsmen that the death of OC marked the point America, a more aggressive and far more violent gang leader, took over the kidnapping and armed robbery operations of his former boss.

    The police source said he now controls three different teams of kidnappers and armed robbers, whose operations span, Ogun, Ondo and Lagos states.

    Much of what is known about America till date were pieced together through the accounts of his men, who have been arrested in the last few months by the Inspector-General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team.

    Days after the kidnap of school pupils of the Igbonla Model College, Epe, Lagos, the IRT arrested three suspects – Endurance Egelu, aka Jubby, 25; Stanley Irabomini, aka Powei, 25; and Endurance Bentel, 24 – all Edo State indigenes.

    It did not take long for the suspects to confess that they were members of America’s robbery and kidnapping teams.

    But it was not the first time the police would be hearing about America, The Punch reports.

    A source involved in the ongoing investigation on America and efforts to track him down, told newsmen that it first became apparent that he was a bigwig in the criminal underworld after the kidnap of three teachers and three pupils of the Nigerian Turkish International College, Ogun State in January, 2017.

    Before the abducted staff and students were released, America was paid millions of naira in ransom.

    But in the course of investigation, America’s family members were taken in for questioning by the police.

    “We arrested his wife. We also arrested his mother-in-law,” our source, who described the suspect as an Ijaw man, said.

    As more people connected to America were being apprehended by the police, more details emerged as to the scale of his criminal activities.

    According to a report by The Punch any major robbery or kidnap in Ogun and Lagos states in the last few months is traceable to America.

    His most recent work was the abduction of six schoolchildren of Igbonla Model College, Epe, Lagos.

     

  • Lagos Kidnap: ‘Security now topmost priority in choosing schools for children’

    Lagos Kidnap: ‘Security now topmost priority in choosing schools for children’

    By Dare Akogun

    In the wake of the rising wave of kidnapping of school pupils by criminals in Lagos, parents have been urged to find out about the security profile before sending three children to such schools.

    General Manager Security, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Barr. Sam Otoboeze gave the charge while speaking on the sidelines of a two day security conference organised by ASIS International group 11 in Lagos recently.

    He contends that any parent sending their children to a particular school should consider first the security before other things, like success rates in past exams, school fees and others.

    According to him “Parents should desist from placing priorities in less important issues, security in school is a big issue and the society seems to have little or no knowledge about it.

    “Kidnapping school pupils for ransom is one of the fast rising crime in the country as kidnappers find it relatively easy access to latch on people and take them away with minimum force with little or no resistance.

    ” I think school authorities and the general society needs to do a lot more that it’s currently doing, as security is one of the areas that I’ve been neglected for so long, but now the beginning of wisdom so the appreciation of security,” he stated.

    The security expert condemn the situation whereby schools are cited in very remote areas without carrying out a risk survey analysis and easy accessibility in case of an emergency.

    “Some of this school owner sited their schools in very remote areas that before you get there and come back something has happened.

    “Worrisomely there is nothing like security survey being done, when you are planning to establish any business one needs to carry out a risk analysis of potential risks and threat that people can be exposed to.

    “Like in the case of the kidnap of pupils at Ikorodu few weeks back, the school is cited inside a bus that has a river running behind it, the school always focus on how much money can be made, but how can they make the money when the pupils are not secured, parents will desists from patronising such schools,” declared.

    Otoboeze posited that security has gone to a higher level than before, at that have grown beyond the concept of Mai-guard saying that security survey and vulnerability assessment needs to be carried out by schools, to determine the potential risks pupil and teachers alike can be exposed to.

  • Just in: 5 suspects arrested over planned attack on banks in Lagos [Photo added]

    The Inspector-General of Police (IGP’s) Intelligence Response Team (IRT) on Friday announced the arrest of five suspected armed robbers who had planned to attack some banks in Lagos.

    The IRT Commander, ACP Abba Kyari, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    Kyari said the arrested suspects also participated in the killing of four policemen and an Army Captain in Ikorodu in April, this year.

    The commander said that the suspects were arrested at Ikorodu and Ajah areas of Lagos State, as they perfected the planned attacks on the banks.

    He said their arrest was part of the IGP Ibrahim Idris’ effort to neutralise the threat posed on Lagos by the notorious new militant leader called America.

    According to him, America was also responsible for last week’s kidnap of school children in Epe.

    “Five key members of the notorious militant group led by America, who have perfected plans to attack and rob five banks in Lagos have been arrested in Ikorodu and Ajah areas of Lagos state.

    “They were all arrested after several days of unrelenting follow-ups by the IRT.

    “Four of the arrested suspects are militants, who were sent by their gang leader, America, to survey the banks.

    “The team was also to hire two operational buses that will be used to convey the militants to and from the river banks, to the commercial banks.

    The fifth suspect is a security man in one of the banks targeted to be robbed,” Kyari alleged.

    The commander, however, noted that the banks targeted were located in Lekki and Ajah areas of Lagos state.

    He said that the suspects confessed to have chosen the targeted banks because of their proximity to the river banks.

    “All suspects arrested have confessed to the planned robberies and confirmed that they were sent by America, their boss in the creeks, to survey the banks, together with the bank security man who allegedly brought the job to the militants.

    “Also, America had fixed Thursday, June 1, as the date for the attack on the banks, before his boys were arrested by the IRT.

    “The suspects are cooperating with detectives in the investigations,’’ Kyari added.

     

    NAN

  • PHOTOS: Lagos to transform International Airport Road

    PHOTOS: Lagos to transform International Airport Road

    The Lagos International Airport Road from Oshodi, being the international gateway into the state, is expected to get a massive infrastructural lift soon.

    This follows the permission granted the state government to embark upon a total reconstruction of the road.

    The State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, had earlier this year described the current state of the road as a national embarrassment which required urgent attention to salvaging the nation’s image.

    Ambode had also disclosed that the state already had a design to transform the road from Oshodi to the International Airport to 10 lanes with interchange and flyover to the Local Airport and that the contractor was already set to begin work.

    See the present state of the road:

  • Lagos street sweeper in court for stealing church’s Plasma TV

    Lagos street sweeper in court for stealing church’s Plasma TV

    A 24-year-old Lagos street sweeper, Sunday Udoh, who allegedly stole a N110,000 Plasma TV belonging to Christ Embassy, on Thursday appeared in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.

    Udoh, who resides at 11, Mosalasi Alhaja St., Ketu, a suburb of Lagos, is facing a charge of stealing.

    Police Prosecutor Donjor Perezi told the court that the accused committed the offence on April 11 at Shangisha area of Magodo, Lagos.

    He said a man, Alaba Odeyemi, reported to the police that the the accused stole a 42-inch plasma television valued at N110,000 belonging to the Christ Embassy Church.

    “The street sweeper employed by the Lagos State Waste Management Authority entered the church premises in the early hours of the day and stole the item.

    “He was however apprehended by members of the vigilance group in the area,” the prosecutor said.

    The offence contravenes Sections 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the section stipulates three years imprisonment for offenders.

    The accused denied the charge and was granted bail in the sum of N100,000 with one surety in like sum.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mrs O.A. Layinka, who gave the ruling, said the sureties must show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    Further hearing was fixed for June 6.

     

     

    NAN

  • Lagos water is germ free, Corporation MD assures residents

    Lagos water is germ free, Corporation MD assures residents

    The Managing Director of Lagos Water Corporation (LWC), Mr Minimum Badmus, on Thursday refuted a report that water supplied to Lagos households contained harmful germs.

    Badmus spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    He was reacting to a report by a national daily that there were harmful germs in public water samples taken from Abuja, Lagos, Plateau, Kano, Katsina and Enugu.

    According to Badmus, water produced in Lagos state and supplied to residents met the World Health Organisation (WHO) standards.

    NAN reports that the newspaper had claimed to have conducted an independent analysis of water samples from the five states and Abuja using American Public Health Association guidelines.

    The daily claimed that many of the samples did not meet WHO standards and the Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality.

    However, Badmus said: “A comprehensive laboratory test and analysis have been carried out in all our facilities.

    ”It is clear that LWC water is safe and good for consumption as it is produced in conformity with WHO standards.

    ”Lagos water processes involve application of water treatment chemicals such as aluminum sulphate, hydrated lime and chlorine to purify the water and remove all hazardous substances to guarantee safe consumption.

    ”The quality assurance department of the corporation, monitors samples on regular basis.

    ”The department also subjects the samples to physical, chemical and microbiological tests in waterworks laboratories in conformity with acceptable standards,” he said.

    Badmus said that the corporation would soon install secondary chlorination points at strategic locations on the public water supply distribution networks.

    According to him, this will help to remove microbial contaminants entering water supply during distribution, and further guarantee protection against water borne diseases.

    He said that the LWC was committed to providing potable and uninterrupted water to the residents.

    Badmus assured members of the public that water produced by the corporation remained good for drinking and all other household uses. (NAN)

  • Two killed as violence erupts at Lagos APC primary

    At least two persons died on Monday during a violence that broke out at the ward primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Shogunle area of Lagos State.

    The primary was for the councillorship candidates of the ruling party in the July 22 local council poll.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that one of the deceased was identified as a popular transporter known as ‘Hamburger’.

    The identity of the second victim was unknown at the time of filing this report.
    Olarinde Famous-Cole, spokesman of the Lagos state police command, confirmed that there was an outbreak of violence in the area.

    However, at ward G in Oriade local council development area (LCDA) of Lagos, Segun Lawson emerged winner of the primary election, polling 18 votes to defeat Ramon Aladega and Saidi Ayinde who got a vote each.

    Lawson expressed joy at his election and thanked members of the party for the confidence reposed him.

    “This is victory for the party and all the people of the ward,” he said.

    “I thank party members for the confidence in me and I promise not disappoint them.”

  • UPDATE: 3-Storey building collapses in Lagos, 2 dead, 14 rescued

    Another three-storey building on Lagos Island collapsed on Monday morning with two people confirmed dead and 14 others rescued.

    This is the fourth building to have collapsed in Lagos in less than months.

    TheNewsGuru gathered that the collapsed three-storey building was being renovated with people inside when it caved in.

    Rescue operation is still ongoing as emergency responders are working frantically to rescue trapped victims in the building located at Daddy Alhaja Street, Oke Arin, Lagos Island, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.

    General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Adesina Tiamiyu told PM News that 14 people had so far been rescued alive.

    He confirmed that two people had so far died in the collapsed building while rescue operation continued to rescue other trapped victims.

    Last week, a two-storey building collapsed at Cole Street Ebute Metta with a woman injured.

    Three weeks ago, a three-storey building collapsed at Ilasamaja area of the state, with four people dead.

    Over a month ago, a two storey building under construction collapsed in Lekki area of Lagos, killing two people.