Author: oduduwanews

The Oke-Ogun Council of Elders OCE has called on all security operatives to form a synergy towards putting an end to the renewed form of criminal activities in Oke-Ogun.

This position was made known on Thursday 11th of May, 2023 during the first annual meeting of the Oke-Ogun Council of Elders held at the residence of the President, Otunba Bamidele Dada OON in Ibadan and monitored by ODUDUWA NEWS.

The call came following the renewed banditry attacks and ravaging kidnapping in some parts of Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State.

The meeting which played a host to the chairman of all Local Government chairmen in Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State, Mr. Jeleel Oyinloye had several dignitaries in attendance.

The President of the Council, Otunba Bamidele Dada OON, while giving his opening remark, admonished all members to prioritize the security of the people of Oke-Ogun by making sure that all hands are on deck towards mitigating the menace of banditry, kidnapping and other social vices.

He decried the high rate of unemployment, saying the root cause of criminal activities could be linked to the high rate of unemployed youths who take to criminal activities when they are not properly engaged.

The erstwhile Minister of State for Agriculture, Otunba Bamidele Dada OON established a strong nexus between socioeconomic problems and criminal activities and called on all stakeholders to brace up and confront the challenges headlong.

In his words, Prof. Layi Egunjobi while speaking, gave a report of the Committee on Education constituted to oversee the establishment of Community-based University in Oke-Ogun. He hinted on the challenges confronting the committee and proffered solutions to mitigate the challenges.

He also discussed the already-passed bill for the creation of Federal University of Agriculture in Oke-Ogun, saying the delay for the establishment rests on the table of the outgoing President of Nigeria, General Muhammadu Buhari who has refused to assent the bill since its passage by the National Assembly.

The meeting however resolved that there is need for drastic and urgent steps to be taken by all stakeholders in Oke-Ogun towards making sure that the bill is assented to before the lapse of tenure of the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Oke-Ogun Council of Elders also discussed road map for the development of Oke-Ogun.

In his words, Mr. Jeleel Oyinloye who is the incumbent Chairman of Iwajowa Local Government doubled as the Chairman of all Local Government Chairmen in Oke-Ogun while speaking at the event discussed some of the steps taken by council heads to ensure that menace of criminal activities is nipped at the bud.

He used the occasion to clarify erroneous belief by some people that the N10million security fund allocated to them is usually embezzled. He highlighted how various councils spend the money after the disbursement, claiming that the money is usually disbursed to all stakeholders in the community including traditional rulers, local hunters and others to maintain peace and tranquillity within their various communities.

Some members who also spoke at the gathering commended Governor Seyi Makinde for his development strides in Oke-Ogun, they highlighted some of his achievements in Oke-Ogun and also charged him not to relent in spreading development across Oyo State.

They also condemned renewed attacks by the criminal gangs and appealed to the local government chairmen in Oke-Ogun and other political functionaries to do everything possible to ensure collaborative efforts between local hunters, Amotekun and the conventional security apparatus.

Among those who graced the occasion were the President of the Council and ex-Minister of Agriculture, Otunba Bamidele Dada OON, Prof. Layi Egunjobi, ACP V.O. Ladigbolu, Iwajowa Council Chairman, Mr. Jeleel Oyinloye, among several others.

The factional National Chairman of the Labour Party, LP, Comrade Julius Abure, has apologized to the party faithful that the party inadvertently admitted those he referred to as charlatans and dubious persons into its fold in the hurry to grow its membership.

Abure tendered the apology while receiving a group of party supporters and civil soceity groups at the party’s National Secretariat, in Abuja, on Friday.

He expressed sadness that this set of people were the ones who have placed themselves in the service of enemies of the party to cause chaos.

Abure said, “The party was a small party and because we want to have numbers, we accommodated all form of charlatans and dubious people into the party.

“These are people who didn’t offer anything to the party. Apapa scored zero in Oyo state in the Presidential election. Arabambi who is claiming to be the Publicity Secretary scored zero in Ogun state in the presidential election.

“They even supported other candidates from other parties. In Edo, I scored 79 percent of the votes in the presidential election. I ensured that APC and PDP did not get 25 percent in that election.”

Explaining what transpired in court earlier in the day, the party chairman said, “We have obeyed the court restraining order and by today, the court gave a ruling, assuming jurisdiction.

“I need to make it abundantly clear that the substantive matter has not started. There was a preliminary objection to the jurisdiction of the court and the court today assumed jurisdiction.

“And for me, I am ready to go for an appeal. In the next few hours, we will be submitting our notice of appeal to the court and we will move all the matter from that court and take it to the court of Appeal.

The police in Ekiti State have dragged a 32-year-old man, Uche George, to an Ado Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court over alleged theft and assault.

George was accused of beating one Ajayi Kolawole as well as stealing his Infinix phone.

The police prosecutor, Inspector Celeb Leramo, alleged in court on Wednesday that “on May 4, around 3pm at the Ijigbo area, Ado Ekiti, the defendant did assault one Ajayi Kolawole, by beating him all over his body with blows.

“Also, the defendant did steal an Infinix Hot 12i valued at N80,000 property of Kolawole.

“The offences committed are punishable under Sections 185 and 302 Laws of Ekiti State of Nigeria 2021.”

Counsel for the defendant, Luke Mbam, urged the court to grant his client bail in liberal terms, promising to provide credible surety.

The Chief Magistrate, Saka Afunso, granted him bail in the sum of N25,000 with one surety and adjourned the case to June 29 for hearing.

Oba Adewale Sunday Boboye, the Ajagun Ode of Ode community in Akure North local government area of Ondo state, has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by an Osi Magistrates’ Court for unlawfully demolishing of palm trees and food crops.

The convict was earlier charged with six-count on Felony to wit malicious damage.

The Magistrate, Mrs. Bukola Ojo sentenced the convict to 10 years after she found him guilty of the charges against him.

The prosecutor, Sergeant Ajiboye Babatunde, while reading the facts of the case, said the convict, and others at large on September 20, at about 3:00pm at the ‘Pastorate and laity of The Apostolic Church Nigeria, along Ado Ekiti Road Igoba, Akure North conspired to commit Felony to wit: Malicious damage.

Babatunde also alleged that the convict unlawfully demolished the perimeter fence of the pastorate and laity of the Church, valued about one million naira, demolished the Palm trees and food crops valued about Five million, and demolished the signpost of the church.

“The convict, when arrested, could not give satisfactory account to the police,” Babatunde said.

The prosecutor called four witnesses to testify in court and prayed the court to punish him accordingly to serve as a deterrent to others who might indulge in a similar act.

He said the offence contravened sections 516, 451, 249(d), and 81 of the Criminal Code Cap 7 vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.

The convict, in his defence through his counsel, Adeola Kayode, denied the allegations levelled against him and urged the court to temper justice with mercy.

In her judgement, the Magistrate convicted and sentenced the accused to an imprisonment for a period of two years in count one with an option of fine of N20,000.

On count two and three the convict got two years each with no option of fine while he bagged another one year jail with an option of fine of N10,000.

On count five, the defendant is sentenced to an imprisonment for a period of two years with no option of fine.

On count six, the defendant is sentenced to an imprisonment for a period of one year with an option of fine of N20,000.

The court awarded the sum of N5million naira as compensation to the complainant for the damage of the perimeter fence, palm trees and other crops.

She noted that if the convict pays the compensation sum, the imprisonments would be ‘vacated.

The imprisonment is to run concurrently.