Author: oduduwanews

In a bid to further stem the spread of COVID-19 within the Public Service and other stakeholders, the Lagos State Government has further extended the work-from-home directive of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to personnel on Salary Grade Levels 12 and below.

A statement issued by the Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola expressed the government’s delight that measures put in place to curb the spread of COVID in the State has resulted in a steady decline in the number of recorded cases in the preceding weeks.

Muri-Okunola maintained that in order to sustain the success so far recorded, Mr. Governor has reviewed the directive to all Public Servants on Salary Grade Levels 12 and below for four weeks, with effect from Monday, 1st to Friday, 26th March 2021.

The HoS said the directive does not preclude any of the exempted Grade Levels from reporting for duty whenever the Accounting Officer deems it necessary.

His words: “All Public Servants are advised to continue to stay safe by observing all COVID-19 protocols such as Physical Distancing, regular use of face masks and hand hygiene. Also, Accounting Officers are to ensure strict adherence to all extant directives aimed to guarantee physical distancing in the workplace by preparation of weekly Duty Rosters as considered germane to effective service delivery in respective MDAs”.

Recall that Lagos State has witnessed a decline in the number of infections in the recent past due to the government’s regular updates on preventive measures as well as public enlightenment campaigns to create awareness about measures to stem the spread of the deadly virus.

The All Progressives Congress in Oyo state has alleged that some unnamed political associates of Governor Seyi Makinde and leaders of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party were the sponsors of the recent reported attacks on its members and officials at some venues of the ongoing membership registration and revalidation exercise in parts of the state warning them “to desist from such reprehensible acts”.

Media reports have it that some identified members of the outlawed Park Managers System (PMS), who were fully harmed with guns, machete and charms, stormed Aliwo location of Polling Units 05 and 06 of Ward 12 in Ibadan North East local government area in early hours of Tuesday and unleashed terror on residents of the area before carting away registration materials of the APC.

In a statement issued on Wednesday and made available to journalists in Ibadan by the Secretary of the Oyo APC Committee on Media and Publicity, Olawale Sadare, the opposition party frowned at what it described as unwarranted and unprovoked attacks from the PDP elements “who must have been jolted by the rate at which the good people of the state are trooping to register as new APC members while old members also attach much importance to revalidation of their membership.

“We have had reports of violent attacks against our registration officials and members in places like Olagoke Akano Street of Ward 11 in Ibadan North East local government area, Academy area of Ward 06 in Egbeda, Iyana Bodija Market of Ward 05 in Lagelu, Orita Challenge in Ward 02 of Oluyole, Owode in Ward 06 of Ogbomoso North and many other places where political thugs were mobilized to the venues of the registration and revalidation exercise since the exercise began about two weeks ago.

Governor, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State approved the donation of an 18-seater bus to the Lanase Central Mosque, Aremo, Ibadan.

The governor, who was represented by his Special Assistant on Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Abdrasheed Abdul-Azeez said that the bus will greatly help the propagation of Islam in the state.

While presenting the bus, Abdul-Azeez said that the governor was highly appreciative of the support and prayers of the Islamic community to the success and stability of his administration thus far.

He also urged the Imam to continue to work for peaceful coexistence among all religions in the state.

The Governor’s aide said that the league of Imams and Alfa’s in the state has a duty to always preach peace and religious harmony, adding that by emphasising such in their sermons, the society will be better for all while the unity and oneness of the country will be enhanced.

According to him, economic growth of the state can only be guaranteed in an atmosphere where there
is tolerance and love, adding that people should support the success of the governor Seyi Makinde- led administration to enable a peaceful environment.

The Lagos State Judicial Panel on Restitution for victims of SARS and other related matters has decided to hear petitions filed against the Nigerian Army despite their absence yet again.

The panel had given the army authorities the last opportunity to appear before it on Saturday after failing to appear on four other occasions.

On January 30, the Chairman of the panel, Justice Doris Okuwobi had held that the petitions against the army would proceed even if they failed to show up.

At Saturday’s proceedings, the army was again absent and they were not represented by any counsel.

The panel moved on to hear the petition of a casual worker, Lucky Philemon who says he was shot by the army at the Lekki toll gate protest on the night of Oct 20, 2020.

He is demanding to be paid compensation of N200m as damages for the inconvenience of losing his limbs as well as another $50,000 for Prosthetic limbs.

Another eyewitness to the shooting on the night, Dabira Ayiuku, who described herself as one of the coordinators of the Lekki toll gate protest also testified on what she witnessed at the toll gate.

She testified that army officials shot at protesters sitting peacefully at the toll gate on the night of October 20.

It has just been confirmed to ODUDUWA NEWS that the Oyo State owned tertiary institutions may be shut down anytime from now by aggrieved students over extort and excesses of gateway payment called platinum.

This statement was made known to the public through the Chairman of the state chapter of NANS, Comrade Opakunle Mayowa in a press statement signed by him. He said the schools affected by Platinum would be shut down time indefinitely.

His full texts reads:

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA STUDENTS
JCC OYO STATE AXIS.

OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN.

Date: 24/11/2020

ALL STATE INSTITUTIONS AFFECTED BY PLATINUM IN OYO STATE TO BE SHUTDOWN INDEFINITELY, until compliance by the State Government on our agitations.

This is in accordance to the meeting held on 24th of February 2021 between the The PRESIDENTs of the affected institutions and the NANs JCC OYO STATE CHAPTER, following series of viral consultations, public appeal and agitations which led to an ultimatum of 72hours given to the Government to find a lasting solution to the exorbitant charges and inefficiencies of the platform(PLATINUM), he introduced to checkmate the financial records of this institutions. It became appalling as the government was not moved and showed insensitiveness, because we have been perceived to be a toothless dogs who only barks but doesn’t bite. It therefore become imperative to reiterate once again to the state government and the entire cabinet that the gentility of a tiger is not of cowardice, but to the rather consolidative approach we have decided to employ to tackling salient issues to avoid breakdown of law and order in the state.

Our being calm and choosing the intellectual engagement in solving issues facing the Students populace in the state was not of incapability, but rather we of thought that the government of today has a listening hear and a believe that it is an intellectual administration who would rather prefer a mutual engagement to violent reaction and has enough hands on deck to aide the growth and development of the Students populace in the state but reversed is the case.

On this note of noncompliance and purposeful negligence of the state government to our outcry, The National Association of Nigerian Students Oyo state chapter and the SUG presidents of the affected institutions has come to a conclusion that all the affected institution should be shutdown from Monday 1st of March,2021 till further notice. And if by the end of Monday nothing is done by the state government, there’s going to be a massive protest on Tuesday.

Signed:
Com. Oluwafunmibi Mayowa OPAKUNLE.
CHAIRMAN NANS JCC OYO STATE.

Lagos State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the party’s headquarters to stand firm against those it described as impostors and had decided to use the Judiciary to the platform backwards, even as it restated its readiness for the coming South-West Congress that would produce zonal executive that would be acceptable to the majority of people of the zone.

The zonal congress of the main opposition party has been scheduled to hold, on March 6, 2021, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. This was just as the party chapter affirmed the Oyo State governor, Engnr Seyi Makinde as PDP leader in the zone, saying it also stood by the decision of the National Working Committee (NWC) that had the conditional right to fix the date and venue of the exercise.

The State Legal Adviser of PDP, Muyideen Tejumade, made this call, on Friday, at a press conference which took place at the party secretariat, and attended by state officers and local government chairmen, including the national ex-officio member, David Kolawole; Alhaji Segun Sowole, among others.

“We are calling on the National Committee of our great party stand firm against the few impostors, who have decided to use the Judiciary to draw the party backwards; while we restate our readiness in the South-West PDP to have a congress that will produce the zonal executives that are acceptable to the majority of the people of the South-West,” Tejumade said.

ODUDUWA NEWS has just gathered that one hundred trucks conveying 4,000 tonnes of onion have reportedly left Sokoto for other African countries in the aftermath of the recent crisis at Shasa.

The crisis in Shasa reportedly led to the death of 27 onion dealers while 14 trucks were razed.

However, the National President of Onion Producers and Marketers, Aliyu Isa, denied that the decision to export the products resulted from the recent Shasa crisis.

DailyTrust Saturday learnt that this was the first documented onion export witnessed in the country.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, which took place at Illela border post, Isa noted that the world witnessed a global onion crisis due to the outbreak of purple blotch and Downey mildew in 2019 and the challenge posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He added that in Nigeria, the situation was further complicated by the flooding of 2020, which made it challenging to attain annual onion domestic demands.

According to him, Nigeria produces 1.4 million metric tonnes of onion every year and exports it to all African countries, except Egypt and the Niger Republic.

He said that before now, they were spending not less than N1 million to export their products through the informal way, but now that they have officially documented it, they would spend only N100,000.

In his remarks, the comptroller of Customs in charge of Sokoto and Zamfara states, Alhaji Abdulhameed Ma’aji, said they had provided advanced solutions to ease the exportation of made in Nigeria products.

Also speaking, Alhaji Ahmed Yahya, head of the Export Promotion Council in Sokoto, described the development as a giant lift and great feat because many informal exports were taking place along the axis.

The Lagos State Government has arraigned a reckless driver, Sunday Okodo (M/38yrs) of Alose Close, Bony Crescent Apapa, at Bolade Oshodi Magisterial Court on Friday, for injuring a Policeman attached to the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), on Apakun Bridge in Oshodi.

The General Manager, LASTMA, Mr. Olajide Oduyoye, who spoke on the incident, said that the suspect hit the Policeman with his vehicle while trying to evade arrest, explaining that he was charged to court for driving against traffic (one way), resisting arrest, reckless and dangerous driving, driving without a valid drivers licence, assaulting a police officer and attempted murder.

Oduyoye added that the suspect was not allowed to take a plea on the attempted murder charge because the court has no jurisdiction on the matter, noting, however, that the accused pleaded guilty to all the other five-count charges necessitating the adjournment of the case to Friday, 26th March 2021 for the commencement of trial.

While stressing that the culprit has been remanded in prison with no option of bail and would also be charged separately for attempted murder at the High Court at a later date, Oduyoye enjoined motorists to always abide by the traffic law or else those caught would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

The Department of State Services has claimed that its operatives did not make an attempt to arrest Yoruba rights activist , Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, on Friday .
The denial is coming a few hours after reports that a joint team of policemen and the Department of State Services attempted to arrest Sunday Igboho along Lagos- Ibadan Expressway.
DSS made the denial in a statement by its Public Relations Officer , National Headquarters , Abuja, Dr Peter Afunanya , titled , ‘ DSS did not attempt to arrest Sunday Igboho’.

In a viral video , Igboho, who was not putting on any top, had dared security operatives to “do their worst ” before they drove off .
However, DSS in the terse statement did not give details of security operatives ’ encounter with Sunday Igboho on the Lagos- Ibadan Expressway.
“The Department of State Services wishes to refute the news that it attempted to arrest one Sunday Igboho , today , at Ibadan, Oyo State. The said news is misinforming and should be taken as fake and therefore be disregarded, ” the statement read.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Friday said cryptocurrencies should be regulated in Nigeria instead of “killing” it.

He made the remarks during a keynote at the CBN/Bankers Committee’s Initiative for Economic Growth.

The CBN had recently reaffirmed its oppositional stance towards cryptocurrencies, placing huge restrictions on its trade within Nigeria.

However, Osinbajo believes the CBN and other oversight agencies should consider regulating the financial technology rather than totally shut it down.

“It is clear to the government that we must find a way of moving the Nigerian digital economy into overdrive,” he said.

“First is that there is no question that blockchain technology generally and cryptocurrencies, in particular, will in the coming years challenge traditional banking, including reserve banking, in ways that we cannot yet imagine so we need to be prepared for that seismic shift.

“Clearly the future of money and finance, especially for traditional banking, must be as exciting as it is frightening. But as we have seen in many other sectors disruption makes room for efficiency and progress.

“Secondly, I fully appreciate the strong position of the CBN, SEC, and some of the anti-corruption agencies on the possible abuses of cryptocurrencies and their other well-articulated concerns, but I believe that their position should be the subject of further reflection.

“There is a role for regulation here. And it is in the place of both our monetary authorities and SEC to provide a robust regulatory regime that addresses these serious concerns without killing the goose that might lay the golden eggs.”