ODUDUWA NEWS had earlier reported that four students of Ejioku Secondary School in the Lagelu Local Government Area of Oyo state were crushed to death by sand-laden truck.
ODUDUWA NEWS learnt that the students were going to school on a motorcycle, when the truck crushed them to death along Iwo-Ibadan Expressway.
ODUDUWA NEWS learnt that the incident forced students of the school to begin vandalising articulated vehicles in Ejioku.
An eyewitness told ODUDUWA NEWS that some parents have stormed schools in the area to pick up their children.
As at the time of this report, it is unclear if the four children belonged to the same parents.
“It happened less than one hour ago. Four students of the Ejioku secondary school were crushed by a truck. Students have started vandalising trucks in Ejioku. They are still here as I speak.
“Police must come around to ensure law and order. This is taking another dimension now. The students are on rampage,” she said.
The police public relations officer in the state, Olugbenga Fadeyi, confirmed the crisis to SaharaReporters on Monday, saying the police would do everything to nip it in the bud and restore peace in the area.
The Yoruba ethnic community in the 19 Northern States has said that it has nothing to do with the calls for Oduduwa Republic.
President of the Yoruba Welfare Group Worldwide, Abdlhakeem Adegoke, told newsmen in Kaduna on Sunday during a peaceful protest: “We don’t believe in the existence of a Republic inside a Republic”.
Flanked by other officials of the Group in the Northern States, Adegoke added: “We are talking on behalf of all the Yoruba in the 19 Northern States that we the Yoruba in the Northern States hereby dissociate ourselves from any Republic inside a Republic”.
He recalled that many Yoruba people were born and bred in the North and had intermarried with northerners with whom they had been enjoying cordial and harmonious relationship over time.
“We believe in the oneness and indivisibility of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, he stated, declaring, “We are not part of any Oduduwa Republic declared by our kinsmen in the Southwest.
“We want the entire world to realise the secret behind those who are agitating for Oodua republic.
“If truly they really want Oduduwa Republic they would have insisted that Hausa, Igbo and all other none Yoruba should leave Yoruba land, but as long as they insisted on Hausa Fulani alone they are not really sincere with their agitation.
“The number of Yoruba in the North is more than three States in Yoruba land. Our investment in the North is more than N5 trillion. What do they prepare for us to come and do at home?”
ODUDUWA NEWS has just gathered that a fatal accident had just occurred at early hour of Monday morning at Fatumo Area, along Lalupon, Iwo-Road, Ibadan which resulted in the death of four students of Idi-Ito Community High School, Erunmu and one Okada rider.
It was learnt that the four students were crushed to death while being conveyed to their school by a commercial motorcycle that suddenly collided with a Tipper truck having failed to negotiate its way from knocking flocks of sheep on the road down.
The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has congratulated erstwhile governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the occasion of his 69th birthday.
This was contained in a statement released by the governor via his official Twitter handle which reads in part:
“Hearty congratulations to our great leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the joyous occasion of his 69th birthday.
“Asiwaju is a statesman and builder whose contribution to a progressive and democratic Nigeria can not be quantified.
“As a pathfinder, Asiwaju charted the developmental trajectory of modern Lagos, raising the bar of governance and public service in Nigeria.
“As he marches forward on to a higher pedestal, may the Almighty go with him every step of the way.
“On behalf of my wife, the government and the good people of Lagos, I wish Asiwaju Bola Tinubu many happy returns in good health”.
No fewer than 127,885 Lagosians have taken the COVID -19 vaccine, 10 days after the exercise began, the government has said.
Commissioner for Health Prof. Akin Abayomi, who broke the news today, after he received reports of Day 10 of the exercise from the State Primary Health Care Board, said with the figure, Lagos has vaccinated more persons compared to other States of the Federation and FCT.
Highlighting the demography and categories of persons vaccinated, Abayomi explained that 39,959 health workers, 54,200 essential workers and 33,726 strategic leaders, representing 31.2%, 42.4% and 26.40% have so far been vaccinated.
“Our gender distribution data has also shown that we have vaccinated more females than males, with 65,501 females representing 51.2% and 62,384 males representing 48.8% vaccinated as of March 26”, he said.
Abayomi stated that Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Lagos Mainland, Alimosho, Kosofe and Surulere are the top six Local Government Areas with the highest number of persons vaccinated, adding that 12,313 and 12,135 persons were vaccinated in Eti-Osa and Ikeja respectively.
“In Lagos Mainland LGA, we have vaccinated 11,791 persons; in Alimosho LGA, 9,783 people have received the COVID vaccine. For Kosofe and Surulere we have vaccinated 9,723 and 8,903 persons”, the Commissioner added.
Apapa, Epe, Badagry and Ibeju-Lekki local governments have the least number of citizens vaccinated, with less than 3,500 persons vaccinated for each.
Abayomi said the State was recording a steady increase in the number of persons receiving the vaccine, from 268 persons vaccinated at the flag-off of the exercise to 127,885 persons vaccinated as of March 26.
The exercise has been extended by 10 days, in line with the directive of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA. The vaccination will continue at the 88 vaccination sites in Lagos for ONLY citizens that fall within the Phase one category, including health and frontline workers, senior citizens aged 70 years above, essential duty staff and strategic leaders.
The Commissioner said the State Government was not oblivious of the challenges being experienced by eligible persons at some vaccination sites, adding that efforts were being made to address the challenges.
He said, “We have identified some areas of concern on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), overcrowding at some vaccination sites and the E-registration portal. I want to assure Lagosians that all these issues and others are being addressed by the State Government in collaboration with NPHCDA”.
“While no system is perfect, we are striving to improve the experience of Lagosians at our various sites. We are committed to this course and with the support of the NPHCDA and other stakeholders, we are certain of a successful vaccination exercise”, Abayomi said.
Governor, State of Osun, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, has showered encomiums on the former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on the occasion of his 69th birthday anniversary.
He described Asiwaju as an outstanding model to the emerging leaders of Nigeria and a lesson in patriotism, tenacity, service and resilience.
The governor in a birthday message personally signed by him thanked Allah for donating Asiwaju as an answer to the myriad of challenges besetting the nation and the citizens.
Oyetola, who appreciated Tinubu for being a mentor to all in all spheres, further described him as a phenomenal leader; a proud and illustrious Omoluabi of no mean stature and a beacon of hope to the teeming youth population in the country.
“Today offers me another grand opportunity, as usual, to, on behalf of the Government and people of Osun, felicitate you on your birthday and to thank Almighty Allah for donating you as an answer to the myriad of challenges besetting the nation and its innocent citizens.
“I thank you for being a mentor to all of us in all spheres: a phenomenal leader to our great party, the All Progressives Congress; an outstanding model to the emerging leaders of this great nation; a lesson in patriotism, tenacity, service and resilience; a proud and illustrious Omoluabi of no mean stature; a beacon of hope to our teeming youths and leaders of tomorrow; a good husband to your wife; and a good father to your children.
“On behalf of myself and the people of Osun, I congratulate you on your birthday, Sir, and wish you long life, good health, divine wisdom, guidance and direction in your remaining journeys through life”, Oyetola said.
it is a memorable day today, 28th March, 2021 in Ibarapa Land as Dele Bajaj Foundation sensitises and empowered Farmers across the 5 towns within the local government of Ibarapa North and Central. Items distributed for the empowerment includes seedlings of rice, maize, soya beans, millet and cash for each farmer.
The program was held at Teacher’s Plaza, Igboora -Idere Road, Ibarapa Oyo state. The caliber of distinguished personalities that graced the poverty eradication event are High Chief Akorede who’s the Baale Agbe Of Ibarapa North Local Government, Ayete. Chief Lawal Amubieya, representative of Baale Agbe of Tapa, Mr Owoade Johnson, Mr Olatunde Rasaq who’s the guest speaker of the program.
Mr Dele Bajaj who’s the Founder of the Foundation was absent but was ably represented by Mr Morounfolu Adeniyi. Mr Morounfolu Adeniyi while speaking on behalf of the Founder, Appreciates the farmers at the occasion for their presence and their patients. He however affirms the readiness of the Mr Dele Bajaj of his continuous support for the Farmers across the land.
In his words, he said : ‘ My Principal, Mr Dele Bajaj sent me to greet you all for your presence here today. He said I should appeal to you that this that you are getting today would be smaller than what you should expect from him subsequently. He wishes to be here but due to one or two happenstances, he couldn’t come. Then I was informed to tell you that the seedlings you are being given today is not meant to be consumed but to be cultivated. We will monitor the progress of you all and there are encouraging gifts for whosoever utilises this material excellently”
Mr Owoade Johnson who was the guest speaker of the program spoke to the farmers on important of healthy living and healthy lifestyle. He urges the to always maintain healthiness in whatever they do, ranging from the food they consume, what they drink and how they dress. He stressed the importance of exercise as a significant tool to ensuring healthy lifestyle.
Another personality that spoke at the event was Mr Olatunde Rasaq. He spoke on the importance of farming as a profession and how the resident of Ibarapa are underitilizing the bounties of land and nature that beautify the land.
In his words : ‘I want to tell you people that this farming profession is like a gold mining industry but many of you do not know. Many of you are in Farming for close to 30 years but you hardly have nothing to show for it. This is not because you don’t know your onions but you don’t know how to maximize your efforts so that your returns can be more or equivalent than your efforts. This Ibarapa land is being underutilized for farming and I urge us that their would be enlightenment for you all very soon. So as to know the right market for your produces”
Mr Uthman, Dele Bajaj Father also spoke to the audience and appreciate them for their presence. He spoke on the significant of giving charity and enjoins all to always give from the little they posses.
Part of the speakers at the program are Alhaja Bajaj who’s the mother of Dele Bajaj, Mr Wale Oloyede and others.
While speaking on behalf of the audience, Mrs Florence Alawode appreciates the Founder of the foundation together with the parents for putting this together. She prayed God elevates the Founder so the society can enjoy him the more.
The program ended with vote of thanks from Mr Amubieya, the representative of Baale Agbe of Tapa Land and the distribution of the grains and cash followed
The Lagos State Judicial Panel on Restitution for victims of SARS and other related matters has handed out cheques to four deserving petitioners.
At the resumed sitting on Saturday, the panel gave decisions in six petitions and found that the four of them were able to prove their cases successfully.
The petitioners, comprising three women and a man, received a total of N16.25 million in total.
A breakdown of the amount shows that the three women received cheques of N10 million, N5 million, and N750,000 respectively, while the man got a cheque of N500,000.
They took turns to receive the cheques from the Chairman of the Panel, Justice Doris Okuwobi.
The Chairman of the Panel, Justice Doris Okuwobi, presents a cheque to one of the deserving petitioners on March 27, 2021.
Following the presentation of the cheques to the petitioners, the panel moved on to the cross-examination of a trauma and orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Babatunde Lawson, from Reddington Hospital.
However, the cross-examination of the medical practitioner was stalled because the counsel to the Lagos State government who was meant to take him through the process was absent.
Thereafter, the panel listened to the testimony of another petitioner, Samuel Ashola, who was at the venue of the Lekki tollgate protest in October 2020.
Petitions breakdown
The first petitioner on Saturday, Felicia Opara, was a young woman who was captured in a viral video on Oct 12, 2020, following an alleged assault by some police officers in the Ojuelegba area of Lagos.
Among other things, the panel found that the culture of impunity and violence is rampant among some police officers in Nigeria.
The panel also found that there is sometimes an inability of the authorities to bring perpetrators of torture to book.
The panel therefore recommended an apology by the police to the petitioner, Felicia Opara.
The panel also recommended training of the police on human rights law & enforcement as well as the need to make policemen take responsibility for their actions.
The panel then awarded compensation to the petitioner in the sum of N750,000.
The second petitioner, Tolulope Openiyi was compensated with the sum of N10m.
The panel found that she successfully proved that her husband, Olusegun was shot dead in August 2017, by a police officer, Jide Akinola, attached to the Sabo, Yaba police station.
The panel found that there was no contrary evidence offered by the police to her testimony that her husband was shot at a police checkpoint.
The panel also found that though the police authorities arrested the erring police officer, his investigation was not properly conducted as he was later released.
The panel therefore recommended the prosecution of the police officer. The panel also recommended scholarship for one child of the victim.
Other general recommendations made by the panel include public condemnation and immediate sanctioning of police officers where necessary and an adequate and speedy compensation of victims and their families with the cost of compensation to be set aside by the Nigerian Government for the police.
The third petitioner, Francis Idum was alleged to be a victim of extrajudicial killing by a SARS officer during a cult clash, sometime in July, 2019
Witnesses who testified in the petition filed by family members of the deceased claimed police officers from Area F police command also took away his body.
In reaching its decision, the panel found that none of the witnesses who testified was an eye witness to the incident as they could not give direct evidence of the person who shot the deceased.
The panel also found that the evidence of the police on its movement of arms register for the day of the incident showed that only AK47 rifles were signed out for use and not a pistol as was allegedly used on the victim.
In the final analysis the panel recalled that there was a cult clash on the day and the balance of probability and the preponderance of evidence tilted more in favor of the police.
The panel was therefore unable to recommend compensation for the petitioner as it was not proved that the gunshot which caused his death was a weapon handled by the police.
The panel however recommended that the police conducts a better investigation by commissioning an independent outfit vested with the mandate to unravel the circumstances that lead to the death of the petitioner.
In the fourth decision involving Oladoyin Ademola, the panel was also unable to recommend monetary compensation.
The panel held that the petitioner did not connect the cataract he suffers in his eye to acts of assault allegedly perpetrated on him by men of the Nigerian police.
The panel however recommended that the DPO and officers at the Dopemu check point and police station as at the date of the incident should be investigated.
The fifth petitioner, Blessing Omoregie Esanbor was compensated with the sum of N5m.
The panel found that though her police assailant, Emmanuel Okujor was imprisoned for 17 years for the offence, the petitioner still has a permanent disability and requires plastic surgery to fix her face.
The panel also recommended periodic psychological evaluation of policemen especially those who bear arms.
The sixth petitioner, Tella Adesanya, an officer of Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Services under the Min. of Agriculture, was awarded N500,000 compensation for his unlawful arrest for three days, the seizure of his car since 2018 till date, extortion and for the trauma he suffered at the hands of the police officers.
The panel also recommended the immediate release of his car.
As part of her official tour to some key government officials and government institutions across the State, the winner of the Spelling Bee Competition and ‘One-Day’ Governor of Lagos State, Miss Gloria Eniola Ajala, on Friday, visited the Lagos State Judiciary where she acknowledged the efforts in the timely delivery of Justice, despite the aftermath of the #EndSARS protest on the Judiciary’s operations.
Miss Ajala, in her interaction with the State Chief Judge, Justice Kazeem Alogba, commended the State Judiciary for its efforts at making justice available to the populace and ensuring fair dispensation of justice for all regardless of status, religion or creed.
The ‘One-Day’ Governor, who was accompanied by other Runners-up in the competition during the visit, charged the Judiciary to uphold its integrity in the dispensation of justice, saying “Let integrity continue to be your watchword as you go about attending to numerous cases in the State”.
Earlier, the Hon. Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba, while welcoming the delegation to the Judiciary, applauded the originator of the ‘One-Day’ Governor describing it as a very laudable initiative that had stood the test of time.
Alogba extolled Ajala for demonstrating rare eloquence, determination among her peers and for standing out in the midst of others, imploring her and other winners of the Spelling Bee competition not to be complacent with the recognition accorded them by the State Government but rather remain steadfast and aim for greater accomplishments.
The visitation to key government officials, according to the Director-General, Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA), Mrs. Abiola Seriki-Ayeni, was informed by the need to motivate winners of the Spelling Bee and also encourage other students in public schools to aspire for excellence in their academic pursuits.
She said, “OEQA recognises the hard work that these pupils from public schools put in their academics, hence the need to reward them adequately”.
Seriki-Ayeni disclosed that apart from the privileges of meeting top government officials across the State, the Spelling Bee winner will equally be sent on a trip to Finland alongside other Runners-Up as part of the rewards for their hard work and dedication to their studies.
Members of the cabinet of the ‘One-Day’ Governor, who is a student of Lafiaji Senior High School, Lagos Island, include Miss Grace Ikhariale of TinCan Island Senior High School; Tolu Oluwatosin Akinbodewa of Iworo Ajido Senior Secondary School, Badagry; Miss Eunice Adedotun of Agbede Senior School, Ikorodu and Master Ekene Ezeunala of Meiran Community High School.
Recall that the former First Lady of Lagos State and the founder of New Era Foundation, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who is currently representing Lagos Senatorial District at the National Assembly, initiated the Spelling Bee Competition during the tenure of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Governor of the State.
In line with his vision of supporting the course of standardizing the standard of education in Ibarapa and also, giving the hands of support to the diligent and indigent students across the zone, Dele Bajaj Foundation organises Scholarship Examination for the 2021 UTME applicants in Ibarapa North and Central local government areas. The exercise which witnessed over 500 students across the two local government areas was done in Three centers across the towns that constitute the two local governments.
Speaking after the exam, one of the students whose name is Oke Damilare expressed his gratitude to the foundation for their phylanthropic gesture and also urged him to extend the hand of phylanthrophy to higher institutions of learning to encourage those who have been wonderful in their course of study.
Mr Oke Wasiu Ayinde who’s the coordinator of the foundation’s UTME SCHOLARSHIP appreciated all the students and the members of the foundation for their dedication and commitment towards the goal of the foundation.
In his words, he says : “We appreciate all the students that turn out for the exercise. It’s expected that you all start seeing your results from next week and the next line of action would be sent to the qualifying 50 across board. I appreciate all the members of the foundation for their dedication and commitment towards getting this done. Likewise, my sincere gratitude to Mr Dele Bajaj for the platform. Let’s all continue to strive to better our immediate environment”
It’s gathered that 50 students who score highest from this exam would be given free jamb form with many encouraging prizes .
