Author: oduduwanews

Hakeem Odumosu, the Lagos state commissioner of police (CP), says the offence of Baba Ijesha, the Yoruba actor who admitted to assaulting a 14-year-old girl, remains bailable, unlike rape cases.

A video had earlier surfaced in which the suspect confessed to molesting the minor both when she was seven and 14.

Iyabo Ojo, Nollywood actress, and Comedian Princess, the victim’s foster mother, had protested an alleged plan to release Baba Ijesha as many other prominent figures took to social media to air condemnatory remarks on his action.

Odumosu spoke of the case on Thursday while parading suspects at the police headquarters in Lagos.

The commissioner said Baba Ijesha would remain in custody pending legal advice from the ministry of justice.

Odumosu added that all parties, including the victim and the accused, had been interviewed at the police command on Wednesday.

“You don’t do trial on pages of the newspaper. There are two cases involved in the Baba Ijebu case: he was alleged seven years ago to have defiled a girl and the girl is now 14 years,” the commissioner said.

“At that time, no complaint was made, but last week, a video went viral where he was arrested for sexual assault.

“When a man touches a woman where he is not supposed to, without authority and consent, that is what is called sexual assault. That is exactly what is there. He admitted that he actually assaulted.”

Although Odumosu noted that Baba Ijesha’s offence remains bailable, he was quoted as saying that concerns about possible defilement have been subjected to “thorough investigation”.

“The case of defilement added to it is still under thorough investigation. Sexual assault is a bailable offence, it is not like rape. For three hours yesterday (Wednesday), they were all with me,” the commissioner said.

“I interviewed all of them, including the girl that was allegedly assaulted, the mother of the girl, and Baba Ijesha.

“We have compiled the case and sent it to the DPP, office of the attorney general, and commissioner for justice, Lagos, for legal advice. Based on legal advice, action will be taken. For now, Baba Ijesha is still in our custody.”

Operatives of Oyo State Security Network Agency comprising Amotekun Corps collaborating with Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) and Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) early Thursday morning nabbed six suspected bandits with 183 cows at Kajola local government of the state.

In another development 5 bandits were equally arrested in Saki East and handed over the Police in the area on the same day.

The suspected bandits, according to Amotekun Commandant in Oyo state, Col Olayinka Olayanju (rtd), were arrested along Okeho-Ilua and Okeho – Iseyin road at about 4am during a joint routine patrol on two separate routes within the local government area.

He said the suspected bandits were arrested in separate incidents following encounters at two illegally mounted road blocks after hot pursuit as the bandits were trying to escape from the scene to evade arrest.

“The bandits whose modus operandi is to pretend as herdsmen in the day and violently rob innocent passengers on the highways at night were caught with 183 cows, weapons and a total sum of N268, 470.00,” he said.

By Amotekun and other non state actors
Col Olayanju in a statement gave names of the arrested suspected bandits as Awali Atine, Ibrahim Abu, Shuaib Balau, Ibrahim Musa, Abdullah Masika and Umar Aliu Masika (All of Bororo Fulani ethnic group).

The Amotekun commandant said Amotekun operatives were on the trail of other suspected bandits that escaped from the scene during the arrest, saying, “we are still on the trail of others who managed to escape from the scene.”

He said the arrested bandits have been handed over ” to the Nigeria Police authority in Okeho divisional headquarters alongside the 183 herds, weapons and money found in their possession for further investigation.

According to the statement, the names of the arrested bandits are: Awali Atine, Ibrahim Abu, Shuaib Balau, Ibrahim Musa, Abdullah Masika and Umar Aliu Masika who were all Bororo Fulani ethnic group..

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has assured residents of the State that his administration will continue to ensure that all Lagosians have access to quality healthcare irrespective of their socio-economic status.

He gave the commitment on Wednesday during the commissioning of Blood Transfusion Service Office, Oxygen Plant and Oxygen Triage Centre and ground-breaking of Doctors’ 24-unit staff quarters at Gbagada General Hospital in Lagos.

Governor Sanwo-Olu said the three critical health facilities and state-of-the-art equipment are vital projects that will scale up his administration’s most recent achievements in the health sector to further enhance healthcare service delivery to people of Lagos State.

He said provision of quality healthcare that guarantees comfort and longevity is a fundamental pillar of his administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S developmental agenda, adding that his government will continue to implement audacious reforms in the health sector because the continued wellbeing of Lagosians is non-negotiable.

“As we prepare to celebrate the second anniversary of this Administration, we are more determined than ever before to raise the standard and quality of our healthcare system to meet the healthcare needs of all Lagosians.

“We will continue to ensure that all Lagosians have access to quality healthcare irrespective of their socio-economic status. Although there is still so much to be done, I am proud of the considerable progress we have made in the last two years,” he said.

Governor Sanwo-Olu noted that one of the most outstanding lessons from the coronavirus pandemic is the need to build stronger and more resilient healthcare systems that will stand the test of time and also lead to improved patient care.

He said: “The Gbagada Oxygen and Triage Center being commissioned today (Wednesday) is an essential part of our COVID-19 Management Response Strategy and one of the 10 Permanent Triage and Oxygen Centers we have constructed across the State to provide swift Emergency Oxygen Therapy to those who require it.

“Each of these centers is equipped with beds, oxygen concentrators, thermometers, drugs, and consumables. The centers are managed by qualified medical personnel who have previously worked at the isolation centers across the State.

“The Blood Transfusion Service Office is also a critical facility that will enhance the capacity of our medical personnel to manage emergency situations that require blood transfusion. With this new facility and through voluntary blood donation, we will increase our capacity to meet the estimated 220,000 units of blood required for a population of over 22 million people.”

Governor Sanwo-Olu also commended the leadership and staff of the Lagos State Infrastructure Assets Management Agency (LASIAMA) for successfully coordinating and supervising the construction and installation of the Oxygen Plant donated by the Nigeria National Petroleum Cooperation, NNPC/TUPNI and partners.

He also appreciated the management of NNPC and Chevron for donating a two storey-building comprising 24 units of apartments, which will serve as residences for doctors.

Speaking at the event, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said his ministry is working systematically to rehabilitate Gbagada General Hospital and other hospitals in the State and build new hospitals.

He said with the building of the headquarter of the blood transfusion center in Gbagada General Hospital, there won’t be need for the State to invest in any temporary facility for blood transfusion to address the issue of shortage of blood in Lagos, adding that the Staff Quarters is very important to make medical personnel comfortable and retard the brain drain out of Lagos and Nigeria.

Also, the Managing Director, Total Upstream Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Mike Sangster, who was represented by his deputy, Engr. Victor Bandele, commended the leadership shown by the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration in combating and containing the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said the Oxygen Plant is expected to produce an equivalent of 100 bottles of oxygen per day, adding that it is designed to run for 20 hours per day.

ODUDUWA NEWS has gathered that an hotelier and other people that were abducted in the community on Saturday have been released by their abductors.

It was learnt that they regained their freedom on Tuesday evening after meeting the demands of their abductors.

Last Saturday, Mr Oyedokun and others were abducted on their Hotel behind CAC primary school along Lagbedu road Ogbomoso.

The abductors had demanded N32million from the family to secure their release but the amount paid was not confirmed.

Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command, Mr Adewale Osifeso when contacted, confirmed the release of the victims on Wednesday.

Osifeso replied to a message of enquiry that, “Yes, they have been released, please.”

The Department of State Service (DSS) on Monday interrogated leader of a Yoruba socio-cultural group, Kiriji Heritage Defenders, Dr Ademola Ekundayo, over planned protests by secessionists in Osun.

It was gathered Ekundayo was invited to the DSS Command following speculations some Yoruba groups under the aegis of Yoruba Self-Determination group were planning secession protests following the disrupted rally by security operatives in Ibadan on April 17, 2021.

He was said to have been interrogated at the DSS headquarters in Osogbo for about four hours before he was released.

When contacted, Ekundayo confirmed to The Nation he was invited by DSS noting: “We are not criminals or collaborating with any criminal group.

“The security men are just being proactive. We are not secessionists in Kiriji Heritage Defenders.

“The decision for the rally to hold in Osun is beyond our group. Other notable groups will take that decision when the time comes. Our major preoccupation is security across Yoruba borders.”