Author: oduduwanews

The Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere and the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, an elder statesman, Pa Adebanjo have berated Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, over his comments indicting South-West governors for the recent mayhem in Sasa community, we Ibadan, in the Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Lawan, in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service on Saturday, claimed that ‘unguarded statements’ by some governors in the South-West incited people in the area to take up arms against fellow citizens.

He also blamed what he called the failure of governments in the region for the crisis which led to property destruction in the area.

Lawan stated, “What happened in Oyo State and other things that kept happening in the South-western states are caused by leadership failures in the region. Some utterances by some governors also went a long way in inciting the citizens to take up arms against other ethnic groups settling in their states. The governors’ utterances emboldened the criminals to unleash violence against the northerners.”

Saying the incident happened while the National Assembly was on recess, he noted that it was one of the first issues deliberated upon when the assembly resumed legislative activities.

Lawan said, “Sasa killing was one of the things we deliberated upon at the plenary when we resumed. We condemned the violence and even moved against any kind of inciting comments or utterances by some government officials. We equally condemned the eviction order by one ethnic group on the other, or indigene-settle claims, just as we called for the compensation of all the victims of herder/farmer clashes in the country.’’

“Withdraw your provocative statement”

Reacting to Lawan’s comments in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, Adebanjo asked the Senate President to withdraw his provocative statement against governors in the South-West.

Adebanjo said, “It is an insult brought to us by those who aligned with the All Progressives Congress to force the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) on us as a nation. It is a tragedy that someone called the President of the Senate could make such a statement about South-West governors. In fact, it is Lawan that just made an unguarded statement.

“He has failed in his duty. He never had anything to say about the killings of farmers, raping of our women and massive destruction of our farmlands by killer Fulani herdsmen.

“His language is unguarded. I am sure that his language is that of President Muhammadu Buhari himself who has refused to caution the herdsmen.

When someone is part of a government that negotiates with bandits and criminals, what do you expect? It is people like Lawan who are behind the herdsmen and even own the cows. The statement by the President of the Senate is insulting, derogatory, shows lack of manners and a sign of improper training. It is condemnable and should be withdrawn.

“Are the governors in charge of security in their states or the one controlling the police? They have to resort to Abuja before the commissioner of police will even pick their calls. The Federal Government has refused to even allow Amotekun to bear arms but unconcerned when herdsmen carry sophisticated arms such as AK-47 and others.”

Also, speaking with one of our correspondents on Saturday, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, described Lawan’s statement as ‘highly condemnable,’ asking him to withdraw it forthwith.

He said, “His comments are untrue. The information available to us indicated that the incident was caused by provocation. A Hausa porter beat a Yoruba pregnant woman. Talking about leadership failure, is leadership failure responsible for banditry in the North-West, North-Central or in the North-East where there’s insurgency? Then, it’s leadership failure that is responsible for the insecurity in the country?”

Adams also expressed worry that such a statement was uttered by the president of the country’s upper legislative chamber.

The Aare Ona Kakanfo added, “As a Senate President, he ought to detach himself from nepotism and appear like a statesman and not a sectional leader. The statement from him is highly condemnable and I will advise him to retract it. He will be bias if he’s asked to say anything concerning the Yoruba.’’

Speaking in a similar vein, Afenifere said ‘unwarranted provocations’ against the South-West were becoming too many.

Speaking through its Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, the group said, “So it’s not the unguarded statements of Buhari’s henchmen? It’s the leadership failure in Nigeria that is keeping people like him in office.’’

Lawan in the interview with the BBC demanded the arrest and prosecution of those involved in the Sasa mayhem.

He added, “Recently, President Muhammadu Buhari also invited the state governors and told them that the Federal Government would not condone any governor calling for the eviction of any ethnic group from his state. He said that no governor should incite his citizens to unleash terror or violence on the non-indigene members of the communities.”

On February 12, 2021, a disagreement between a Hausa porter and Yoruba female trader in Sasa market, Ibadan, degenerated into bedlam and claimed lives including multimillion naira investments.

A Yoruba cobbler, Shakirudeen Adeola, reportedly challenged the porter for beating the woman and in a fit of rage, the porter was said to have brought out a charm and hit Adeola who was rushed to a hospital and died thereafter. The news of Adeola’s death sparked off violence which shattered the peace in the area.

As Osun Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality Human Rights Violations and Related Extra Judicial Killings resumed sitting on Saturday, three of the petitioners have appealed to it to prevail on the Government and the Nigeria Police Force to award them N125million compensation for the gruesome killing of one Mr. Rafiu Ajani.

The petitioners have approached the panel to seek compensation on account of different forms of brutality meted out to them by the overzealous police officers on 17th February, 2001.

According to them, the incident occurred at Obeira police check point, Okene area of Kogi State, where three armed police officers gruesomely killed eight out of 10 occupants in the vehicle.

Narrating the ordeal while being led in evidence by his counsel on how he narrowly escaped death, one of the petitioners, Mr. Sulaimon Badmus, said he escaped when the officers ran after one of the victims that wanted to run away.

He said the three fully armed police officers killed eight out 10 passengers in the vehicle that conveyed him on the fateful day.

The petitioner said the erring police officers were met at the check point along Okene road, and were allowed to check the vehicle after which they started grumbling because of the cash they saw in the vehicle.

“On that fateful day, I chartered a bus from Osogbo to Benue, but the driver took another eight passengers along the way who were going to Katsina State to buy rams because it was during Salah festival.

“But when we got to Obeira, Okene axis of Kogi State, we met three fully-armed police officers on our way. The driver stopped and they accosted us, but when the officers saw huge amount of money in our possession to purchase rams, they started misbehaving and asked us to follow them.

“We were deceived by the erring officers because we were told that they were taking us to station, not knowing they were taking us to the forest. They tied our hands and one of the passengers that attempted to escape was gunned down immediately.

“They poured petrol on us with an intention to set us ablaze. But when they ran after one of us that attempted to run, it was in that instance that I struggled to escape with one other passenger. Unfortunately, the remaining passengers were burnt to death, including the driver.

“When the matter was reported in the news and the police started the investigation, then I showed up to follow up the matter and gave evidence. I assisted the police to arrest the three officers and they were charged to court.

“The three erring officers were Benjamin Oyekhire; Jimoh Michael and Gershon Soba.

“The case was taken to Lokoja High Court where the three erring officers were sentenced to death by hanging.

“Although I didn’t follow up the matter, I later learnt that the officers went to Court of Appeal and Supreme courts where the lower court judgment was upheld.

“I can’t say if the three condemned officers were eventually sentenced as ordered by the hierarchy of the Courts. However, I was not too satisfied with the judgement because killing them was not enough as justice. None of the victims was compensated since the incident occurred twenty years ago. That is why I approached the panel for due compensation”, he added.

Corroborating the testimony, one Mr. Mustapha Muideen, the owner of the burnt Toyota Liteace with registration No Osun XB 104 SGB and a younger brother of the deceased driver, Mr. Dauda Ajani, told the panel the number of times they travelled down to Kogi State because of the case to give credence to the evidence tendered before the panel.

The counsel for the petitioners, Barrister J.O. Babalola, prayed the court to award his clients a total sum of N125million as compensation to cushion the negative effect of all they had suffered to the incident.

According to him, N100million was requested as compensation for the family of the late Rafiu Ajani, the driver of the bus that was burnt, saying the deceased was the sole bread winner of his family and was survived by dependants which include aged mother, three wives and five children.

He further appealed to the panel to award the second petitioner, Mr. Sulaimon Badmus, who escaped from the police a total sum of N20million as compensation for losing all his capital aimed to purchase rams, just as he also urged the panel to award a sum of N5million to one Mr. Mustapha Muideen, the owner of the bus that was burnt.

Ruling in the case, the Chairman of the Panel, Justice Akin Oladimeji (rtd), asked the petitioners’ counsel to prepare his final address for adoption and adjourned the case to March 5th, 2021.

… Charges Residents to Guide Public Infrastructure against Abuse

In fulfillment of the promise to complete all outstanding projects inherited by his government, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu on Friday commissioned a network of four roads in Agbado-Oke Odo LCDA in the second phase of the Lagos/Ogun State Boundary road projects.

Speaking during the commissioning, Sanwo-Olu expressed satisfaction at the quality of the job done on the road projects, noting that the construction of Lagos-Ogun State Boundary Roads in Alimosho Local Government Area was in recognition of the need to improve connectivity within Alimosho LGA and neighbouring State communities, thereby reducing travel time, loss of man-hours as well as boosting trade, commerce and investment opportunities in the area.

The Governor said, “Having realised the critical importance of road infrastructure to the opening up of the State, our administration, in accordance with the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda, especially the Traffic Management and Transportation Pillar, decided to demonstrate the attendant impact of road infrastructure on business and commercial activities, welfare and productivity of the people”.

“The delivery of this road will boost trade, promote commerce and investment opportunities for our people. Consequently, the construction of Phase II was necessitated by the need to complement the Network of 21 roads and two Bridges executed in Phase I and abate perennial flooding in this axis”, he added.

Sanwo-Olu stated that the commissioned network of roads, apart from being capable of boosting the economic activities of both communities in the two States, was in direct response to the urgent need to provide an alternative route to Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway to reduce constant traffic bottlenecks often experienced on the highway due to bad road and commercial bus activities.

“The newly reconstructed roads, which are parallel to Lagos Abeokuta Expressway, is a functional alternative as motorists can now connect Ota from Abule-Egba-Ekoro through this network of roads. Without doubt, these projects provide massive connectivity, shorten distance, improve travel time, reduce the man-hour loss in traffic and the stress of commuting along the Expressway” he enthused.

He explained that the brief for new road projects entailed creation of new road alignment and expansion of existing pathways, including massive earth movements and relocation of public utilities such as water pipes, electric poles and transformers within the Right of Way, to achieve the road linkage.

Commending traditional rulers and other community leaders for coming out en-mass to receive him, Sanwo-Olu urged them to take ownership of the roads by enduring adequate and regular maintenance and prevent them from any form of abuse or misuse, reminding that public infrastructure is provided with taxpayers’ money.

His words: “As beneficiaries, we must note that adequate and functional maintenance of the provided road is the responsibility of not only the Government but the Society at large. We will continue to collaborate with the community both at the Local Government and CDA levels to promote and develop local initiatives for the community to participate in the maintenance”.

“Let me use this opportunity to urge you to refrain from such acts that could undermine the durability of the road. We know we can stem down and reduce the rate of theft of electrical cables and careless damage of the road. The road was provided from yours and other taxpayers’ money which could be used to provide other projects for other communities”, Sanwo Olu stated.

Earlier in her welcome address, Special Adviser for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Aramide Adeyoye, noted that Agbado Oke-Odo is a settlement with a fast-growing population, thus requiring infrastructural upgrade and renewal.

Adeyoye disclosed that the Governor had during the commissioning of a network of 31 Strategic Roads in Ifako-Ijaye, a year ago, directed the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure to speed up the completion of the Lagos-Ogun State Boundary Roads Phase II, adding that the commissioning of the Phase II of the projects were in line with the quality service delivery of the State Government.

According to her, the commissioning of Lagos/Ogun State boundary road projects are a demonstration of the commitment of the Governor Sanwo-Olu-led administration to improve the quality of life of the residents and economic growth of the State.

She promised that her Ministry would work harder to deliver quality road infrastructure in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S. agenda and the Greater Lagos Vision of the State Government.

Also present at the commissioning was the Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, members of the State Executive Council, top officials, community leaders and other stakeholders.

South-West Governors, Traditional Rulers and Security Chiefs converge in Ibadan, Oyo State on peace building and security matters. Below are the pictures taken at the event.

There was encomium last week when the Methodist Grammar School, Deaf and Dumb Unit started the usage of projector donated to them a year ago by The Baby Blue Angels Foundation.

You will recall that the NGO had donated projector and other educational materials to Deaf and Dumb Department of Methodist Grammar School, Ibadan during official launching in 2019 as part of its community and social development service aimed at ensuring that the disabled are not hindered from having access to quality education due to their disability.

The projector was donated to aid learning process of deaf and dumb students at Methodist Grammar School, Ibadan.

Ambassador Ramata Agberemi, the founder of BBA while handing over the projector and other educational materials to the beneficiary said, it behooves on them as non-governmental organization to contribute their own quotas towards the development of education of both abled and disabled in Nigeria.

“As NGO, our priority should not be centered on abled persons alone but to the disabled who have ability to contribute to the growth and development of Nigeria if given an avenue to develop their God-given potentials.

“We don’t have to be waiting for government at all times before we could be stretching helpful hands to one another. Nigeria can only attain its desired level of growth and development if only we can be helping ourselves”, said Ramata.

The head of the school while setting the projector for operation and the use of students last week said the disabled have contributed alot to the development of Nigeria and that all stakeholders must come together to ensure that they are not left behind in the development process of the country.

He therefore appreciated the benevolent act shown to them by the Baby Blue Angels Foundation as such gesture will go a long way in reshaping the lives of the students for better.

He prayed for the Founder of the NGO, Ramata Agberemi and the entire team members while charging them not to relent in their effort at ameliorating the suffering of the needy.

The Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde on Saturday accepted Court Verdict delivered last week nullified Park Management System established by the State Government to take over National Union of Road Transport Workers NURTW.

The governor admitted that the state government was wrong to have appointed park managers for the state.

Speaking at the quarterly media chat, Governor Makinde said the government was wrong to have appointed park managers since it is within the jurisdiction of local government.

During the week, an Oyo State High Court presided over by Hon. Justice M. A. Adegbola nullified the appointment of Park managers in the state.

The Park Management System, PMS, was introduced by the Seyi Makinde -led Oyo state government following the proscription of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, in the state.

Delivering judgement in the case filed by the former chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in Oyo State, Alhaji Abideen Olajide (a.k.a Ejiogbe), Justice Adegbola described as illegal the collection of rates by the park managers appointed by the state government.

The Osun State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has dismissed media report that listed Osun among states in the country that were yet to implement the new national minimum wage.

A newspaper had erroneously reported that during the last Central Working Committee and National Executive Council meeting of the NLC held in Abuja between 17 and 18 of February, 2020, Osun was mentioned among states in the country that are yet to implement the new minimum wage

However, a statement by the State Chairman of the NLC, Jacob Adekomi, described the reports as malicious and misleading, stressing that there was no time at the meeting Osun was mentioned among states that were yet to implement the minimum wage.

According to the NLC Chairman, it is glaring that Osun State is among the few states in the Federation that have implemented the new minimum wage.

“The media report is not only malicious but misleading because the State Council of NLC duly represented in the Meeting and there was no time that States that had not started implementing Minimum Wage was mentioned. This is verifiable through the Comminique released at the end of the NEC- in Session.

“Therefore, the reports should be discarded and thrown into the dustbin because it does not emanated from the National Headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress,” the statement reads in part.

Adekomi said workers in Osun appreciate Governor Adegboyega Oyetola for approving the implementation of the new minimum wage and annual salary increment for them.

“The State has moved beyond the issue of Minimum Wage for now and we are awaiting other largesses promised the workers via the agreements signed between the Government and Joint Labour Force in the State.

“We shall continue to appreciate all the good workers in the State for their support, perseverance and commitment during the time past,” he added.

It will be recalled that Governor Oyetola in October, 2020 approved the payment of minimum wage to civil servants in the state beginning from November 1, 2020.

He also lifted the embargo on annual salary increment, promotion and conversion, which he said, was in fulfillment of his administration’s pledge to give the welfare of workers the deserved attention.

The Ogun state governor met with President Muhammadu Buhari on the farmer-herder crisis – Abiodun presented the reports of the crisis to the president and the measures his government has taken to stop ethnic violence.

Governor Dapo Abiodun on Friday, February 19, met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential Aso Rock villa over the farmer-herder crisis in Ogun state. The governor brought the report of violence that ensued over the weekend between host communities in Yewaland and the herders, and measures put in place by the government to put an end to the ensuing bedlam in the state. It would be recalled that the Governor Abiodun-led government on Monday, February 15, facilitated a town hall meeting with necessary stakeholders in a solidified effort to tackle and finally curb the ceaseless farmer-herder crisis.

…says it has concluded 21 out of 34 cases so far

The Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality, Human Rights Violations and Related Extra Judicial Killings on Friday ordered a subpoena compelling two officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps to appear before it for being allegedly involved in the killing of one Master Idris Ajibola on September 15, 2020.

The panel also ordered the State Ministry of Justice to provide relevant documents in respect of the petition filed by one Mrs. Oluwatoyin Adetona whose kids were allegedly murdered by Police officers in Ilesa, Osun State, in 2016.

Recall that the parents of the late Idris Ajibola had approached the panel to seek justice in the gruesome murder of their son who was allegedly chased to death by the members of the Joint Task Force comprising soldiers, police, DSS and NSCDC officers.

The deceased alongside two other occupants who were in the car on the day of the incident were allegedly chased along East-pass Dual Carriage Circular Road, Osogbo, by the JTF personel.

It was reported that the car of the chased victims swerved off the road and rammed into a ditch and crashed leading to the instant killing of the deceased.

When the case was returned for further hearing on Friday, the counsel for the petitioner, Barrister Kanmi Ajibola, filed an application and prayed the panel to order the appearance of the two identified NSCDC officers who were among the JTF personel that were involved in the incident.

He said the appearance of the two erring officers would aid the investigation and give support to the prosecution of the case as the petitioner was able to identify them by name.

In his ruling, the Chairman of the Panel, Justice Akin Oladimeji (rtd.) granted the application and ordered the two erring officers -Inspector Jimi Awoniyi and Togun Babatunde -to appear before the panel on March 5th, 2021, the adjourned date.

Justice Oladimeji ordered the immediate issuance of subphoana to the two officers for them to appear before it for defence on the adjourned date.

He said the appearance of the two officers would give more credence to the defence of the case and further strengthen the principle of fair hearing and equity that has been the hallmarks of the panel.

Justice Oladimeji however adjourned the case to March 5th, 2020 for further hearing.

Similarly, the panel ordered the Ministry of Justice to provide all the necessary documents regarding the prosecution of the case filed by one Mrs. Oluwatoyin Adetona against the Police.

Mrs. Adetona approached the panel to seek redress in the murder of her two kids by Police officers in Ilesa.

Adetona had in her petition alleged that two of her children were killed by police officers who drove recklessly at her residence in Ilesa.

She explained that the deceased who were playing in the front of their house were killed by the electric pole hit by the Police Patrol Vehicle.

The mother of the deceased, who had prayed the panel to prevail on the police to fish out the killers of her kids, said she was not convinced that the erring officers had been brought to justice as claimed by the police authority.

Ruling in the case, Justice Oladimeji ordered the Ministry of Justice to provide all the necessary documents in respect of the case to enhance smooth prosecution just as he ordered the Police authority to provide relevant documents to substantiate the status of the alleged officers if truly they have been dismissed by the police.

The panel disclosed that it had concluded 21 cases out of the 34 cases before it.

According to the panel, 10 cases out of the finalised 21 cases are awaiting final recommendation to the government while the remaining 11 were struck out on the basis of different irregularities.

The panel further revealed that 13 cases had reached different prosecution stages just as it reiterated its commitment to dispensing justice before the stipulated time allocated to it.

The cases heard by the panel on Friday were: OS/JPIPB/08/2020 Chief Adegboyega Agbaje & 1OR versus Osun State Commissioner of Police; OS/JPIPB/12/2020 Alhaji Dele Nafiu versus Osun State Commissioner of Police; OS/JPIPB/27/2020 Mr. Ibrahim Olagoke versus Osun State Commissioner of Police; OS/JPIPB/01/2020 Alhaji Ayo Dauda Adigun & 1OR versus Osun State Commissioner of Police; OS/JPIPB/11/2020 Mr. Kehinde Ajibola versus Osun State Commissioner of Police.

Others were: OS/JPIPB/28/2020 Mrs. Oluwatoyin Adetona versus Osun State Commissioner of Police; OS/JPIPB/31/2020 Good Governance and Leadership Assessment Initiative versus Osun State Commissioner of Police; to and OS/JPIPB/32/2020 Dr. Muyiwa Oladimeji versus Osun State Commissioner of Police

The Lagos Judicial Panel has awarded N2m each to two petitioners each as compensation on Restitution and Inquiry set up to investigate cases of police brutality especially involving officers of the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad.

The two petitioners, Kudirat Abayomi and Hannah Olugbodi, were awarded the compensation on Friday.

The panel also recommended the prosecution of the erring police officers in the case involving Abayomi.

Apart from the N10 million compensation to the family of Abayomi, who was killed by a police stray bullet in April 2017, scholarships were also awarded for the children of the deceased.

The panel also recommended that a letter of apology be written to the family of the deceased by the police.

Olugbodi, a 35-year-old hairdresser, had in November 2020, narrated how she ended up on a crutch after her left leg was shattered by a stray bullet fired by some men of the disbanded police Special Anti-Robbery Squad who were attempting to arrest a young man with tattoos in June 2018 at the Ijeshatedo area of Lagos.

She said the SARS operatives were at one Ogun City Hotel, to demand money to fuel their vehicle when they saw the young man with tattoos among a group of persons watching a football match at the hotel.