The Ogun State Police Command on Tuesday paraded three police officers who had been subjected to orderly room trial for alleged involvement in armed robbery in Ijebu-Ode after which they were dismissed and would soon be charged to court.
The dismissed officers are Inspector Taiwo Kolawole with Force Number AP/No 341113, Inspector John Ogbe with Force Number AP/No 309292 and Cpl Idowu Sunday with Force Number 513707.
All the officers were attached to Ijebu-Ife Division, in Ijebu East Local Government Area of the state.
Background:
On 12/01/2024, at about 0845hrs, one Kashimao Emmanuel ‘m’ of TASUED Ijebu-Ode, reported at the station that while he was driving in his Toyota Venza car, with Reg No. LSD 813 EX brown in colour, that he came across a gang of four armed men and one of them was putting on a Police round neck camouflage, while 3 others were on mufti.
They demanded for his phone, which he calmly declined. In the process, one of them fired a shot into the air and that was when he complied.
They entered into his car and took him away towards Sagamu expressway, on getting to Ososa, they made a u-turn to Ijebu-Ode, where a sum of three hundred and twelve thousand naira was forcefully transferred from his account to an Opay account no. 9097829766.
Upon the receipt of the report, the DPO quickly made a call to the Opay account number where it was discovered that the Opay account number belongs to a POS operator in Ijebu-ode.
The DPO then gave instruction that on no account should the POS operator give out the money transferred to him to anyone who comes for it. Moreso, the operator should tactically delay anyone who comes for the money pending his arrival.
On getting to the POS shop at Ibadan garage, one Force No 513707 Cpl Idowu Sunday attached to Ijebu-Ife was met waiting to cash the money and was promptly arrested.
While taking him to the station, he sighted his accomplices, namely AP/No 341113 Inspector Taiwo Kolawole, AP/No 309292 Inspector John Ogbe both were attached Ijebu-Ife division, and one civilian, Adesiyan Mathew who happened to be the driver was also arrested.
In the course of investigation, two other complainants who were victims at various times came forward and identified them to have earlier robbed them of their belongings in the same manner.
Fiery Enugu priest, Rev Fr Ejike Mbaka, on Sunday, tackled the President Bola Tibubu administration over the level of insecurity and hardship in Nigeria.
Mbaka, who said there were many obstacles on Tinubu’s way to becoming the president, including the Naira redesign policy, said he succeeded by an act of providence.
He, however, said the president was yet to exhibit political will towards solving the country’s problems.
He singled out corruption in the oil sector, which he said was under a certain cabal, but regretted that President Tinubu was yet to go against them.
The charismatic priest said these while delivering a homily at his Adoration Ministry in Emene, Enugu State.
He asked the President to wake up, stressing that God was watching him.
“Mr President, you can do it; to fix Nigeria is not difficult if the leader has the will power.
“I know that this one will make national news but let it be.
“What is happening in the oil sector? How many barrels are being produced and how many dollars are in the Nigerian account?
“A country like Nigeria that exports millions of barrels of oil per month, how much are we saving?
“Why is it difficult up till now to fix other refineries? Who are the cabals? Can’t they be de-canibalized? Cabals can be de-canibalized if the president has the will power; hell will not fall, heaven will not fall.
“These people can go to jail; after all, many of them did not support you; so why are you protecting them? Mr President, wake up, God is watching you to see what you can do,” Mbaka said amid cheers from his parishioners.
He went further to say that the citizens were all heartbroken, urging the president to fix things fast.
According to him, “Our hearts are broken; go to our schools, see how messy the government schools are; are we taking care of our teachers and our doctors? Look at how they are- when they travel abroad, they begin to mine money in pounds and dollars.
“Teachers once they retire, no gratuity, no pension; the hearts of the retirees are broken; let there be a law that will bring solution to all these maladies.
“Heartbreak everywhere, look at our police and military, their hearts are also broken; what kind of guns are the policemen using? When the senior squad passes, they will kill the policemen on the watchpost and carry their guns and run away. What happens to their families when their husbands die on the duty post?
“No compensation; the next one minute, they chase them out of the barrack; those who are in Borno forest fighting Boko Haram, what is happening to their families at home? Who is taking care of them?
“The hearts of their family members are broken, shattered; they are fighting those with bombs with catapult; those people they are fighting are carrying launchers;
“How many young men have we buried and still burying; insecurity everywhere.”
The Catholic priest also warned that a higher wave of hunger was underway in the country if insecurity was not dealt with.
He said, “We are asking people to go to the farm and produce; but if you enter the farm, herdsmen with AK-47 will enter the farm and kill the farmers, who will go to the farm anymore?
“Hunger, as I told you last two years, has not even started; I won’t tell you lies; everybody should be meaningfully engaged, start something.
“In Nkerefi last time, about six women who were farming were killed and their stomachs brought out; who will go to the farm there again? The fear is there.
“Even politicians who think they are safe in their comfort zone, you are not safe because the level of insecurity will come to your doorstep one day.”
Turning again to Presdent Tinubu, Mbaka said, “I know that this man that has come to be the president of the country if he submits himself to God, with enough will power, God has blessed him in wealth, he has not come as a beggar, like many politicians who failed election and they almost committed suicide because they used all they have to do election.
“Jagaban is not a poor man; so he can do something extraordinary; do it the other way round; shock all these people who are criminals; devise a policy that will bring security, bring joy to the Nigerian people and you will see there will begin to be a meaningful transformation.
“Look at the bank of today giving people loans with interest of 25 per cent, some 26, some 27, how can you pay back? With which collateral?
“So, what’s the hope of the youths? All they need is encouragement, empowerment and support. Nigeria will be better than China; we can Dubanize Nigeria; The youths are waiting for the healing of their broken hearts.”
Lagos Reporters recalls that Fr Mbaka has given several controversial prophecies in the past, including his famous ‘From Goodluck to Badluck’ message which was targeted at then president Goodluck Jonathan.
He said that General Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd) was the messiah Nigerians were waiting for.
Buhari later went on to defeat incumbent Jonathan in the 2015 election.
However, Mbaka later fell out with the Buhari presidency, with the latter accusing him of begging for contracts.
He also at some point came hard on the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, during the 2023 election, Mr Peter Obi, describing him as a stingy man.
Atiku Abubakar has berated President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, saying the policies creating pains for the poor
This was contained in a statement made available today via his official Twitter handle as read in part:
“The economy’s performance has, in recent weeks and months, been a subject of intense discourse among Nigerian citizens at home and abroad. Nigerians are gravely concerned, and rightly so, that Tinubu’s poor response to Nigeria’s economic challenges is setting the stage for a prolonged and deeper domestic economic crisis.
“His economic policies, drawn from a so-called renewed hope agenda, are ironically dashing hopes, creating pain and causing despair. The private sector is shrinking by the day as small businesses are emasculated and as Multi-National Companies, confused and weary of the economy, leave Nigeria in droves. The intense cost of living pressures has created more misery for the poor in towns and villages. There is HUNGER IN THE LAND as basic commodities, including BREAD, are becoming out of reach for average Nigerians.
“His 2024 budget is a business-as-usual exercise, bereft of concrete ideas and actions that would support Nigeria’s journey toward economic transformation—consisting mainly of wasteful expenditures to cater to a bloated Federal Government. Budget 2024 will not facilitate growth and cannot empower our citizens to earn a living and live a decent life.
“BAT has shown no capacity to deal with the adverse and disastrous impact of the new subsidy regime on the people and businesses and the new foreign exchange policy, which provides for a free-floating exchange rate. His initiatives are literally uninformed, arbitrary, and chaotic. BAT’s palliatives are too mean, pitiable, and contemptuous of the poor. He seems genuinely lost, bewildered, and overwhelmed.
“To mask their failures, BAT and his political appointees are busy blaming his predecessor in office for bequeathing a ‘dead’ economy. This is a familiar game popularised by former President Buhari while in office. It reinforces what we already know: that BAT came into office unprepared.
“Tinubu and his economic management team must swallow their pride, admit their missteps and failures, and follow those who know the terrain. They must act fast before the economy sinks deeper into the abyss.
School children of Apostolic Faith Group of Schools, Emure-Ekiti, Ekiti State and their teachers, who were recently kidnapped by armed men have been released.
Oduduwa News cannot ascertain at the moment if the victims who regained freedom at about 2.00 am on Sunday were rescued by security operatives or released after payment of ransom.
But the abductors had demanded N100 million for the release of the victims, which was not paid earlier prompting rumours that the kidnappers had threatened to kill the pupils.
The children and their teachers were abducted by the assailants on Monday evening.
Unconfirmed reports emerged on Saturday stating that the victims had been released but the police swiftly debunked the report.
However, in a short video clip being circulated on Sunday morning, the freed pupils and their teachers were sighted sitting on the floor, looking tired.
There is a heavy presence of security operatives and men of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the Saki West State Constituency where INEC is conducting a rerun election.
The rerun election is holding at polling unit 007 Odo Osun and polling unit 019 Ogbalanja in the constituency.
Officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were seen manning the two polling units.
EFCC officials were seen at strategic locations around the polling units nosing for politicians and members of the electorate who might get involved in vote-selling or vote-buying.
Also, men of the Nigerian Army were on patrol in the entire constituency.
The voter registers at polling unit 007 and 019 indicate that a total of 754 and 547 voters respectively are expected to vote at the two polling units.
Presence of agents of the two main contending political parties —- APC and PDP —- were also noticed at the two polling units.
The Lagos state government on Friday, February 2, impounded a sewage evacuation truck and arrested the driver for discharging faeces in the drainage and polluting the environment in Amuwo Odofin Housing Estate, Mile 2.
Disclosing this via his X handle, the state Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunboh Wahab, said the driver has been arraigned and remanded by the magistrate till Tuesday, February 6 for sentencing.
Wahab added that the truck owner will also be arraigned in a criminal prosecution in line with the Lagos State Environmental Management Protection Law 2017 on Tuesday, 6th of February, 2024.
”A sewage evacuation truck was impounded on Friday and the driver arrested by the LSWMO operatives for discharging faeces in the drainage and polluting the environment in Amuwo Odofin Housing Estate, Mile 2
The driver has been arraigned and remanded by the magistrate till Tuesday for sentencing. The truck owner will also be arraigned in a criminal prosecution in line with the Lagos State Environmental Management Protection Law 2017 on Tuesday, 6th of February, 2024.
The State government has reiterated a zero-tolerance to all environmental nuisances across the state.”
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced an end to the daily Cash Reserve Ratio debits for commercial banks in the country.
The apex bank says it will adopting an updated Cash Reserve Requirement mechanism for Nigerian banks.
This was contained in a circular titled ‘Cash Reserve Requirement Framework Implementation Guidelines’ signed by its Acting Director, Banking Supervision Department, Dr Adetona Adedeji, on Friday.
According to the CBN, the move is intended to facilitate banks’ capacity for planning, monitoring, and aligning their records with the apex bank.
The percentage of cash required to be kept in reserves as against the bank’s total deposits is called the Cash Reserve Ratio.
The implementation of the new Cash Reserve Requirement framework will follow a structured process, as outlined by the CBN.
The statement read, “The determination of the segment of deposits subject to sterilisation with the CBN as CRR will follow the processes outlined below:
“Phase 1 – Utilisation of the Incremental Approach: The extant ratios (commercial banks 32.5% and merchant banks 10%) will be applied to increases in the banks’ weekly average adjusted deposits.
“Phase 2 — CRR levy of 50% of the lending shortfall will be enforced for banks that do not meet the minimum Loan to Deposit Ratio (LDR) as per our correspondence to all banks referenced BSD/DIR/GEN/LAB/12/049 dated September 30, 2019.”
The CBN added that it will provide banks with details of the applied charges and their underlying computation rationale.
In a recent live performance, Nigerian Fuji music legend K1 conveyed the collective frustration and anger of Nigerians to President Bola Tinubu.
The iconic musician, singing in Yoruba, highlighted the challenges faced by the ordinary people, including inadequate power supply and the economic impact of policy decisions.
K1 directly appealed to President Tinubu, urging him to address the citizens’ numerous problems. He emphasized the distress and suffering experienced by Nigerians and criticized those benefiting from the misery of the masses.
“I plead with you to find a solution to the plight of the masses. The citizens are crying and wailing. We’re suffering amid a lack of adequate power supply. How did things get to this point? I implore you to fix these problems.
“We know you to be a philanthropist, but we Nigerians are angry. The people of Nigeria are angry.
“The traders in this country are not happy. Look at what the dollar has become (a reference to the exchange rate),” K1 said.Specifically addressing the rising cases of kidnappings, K1 called on Tinubu to tackle the security issue effectively.
Despite expressing the grievances, K1 encouraged Nigerians to be patient and hopeful, assuring them that Tinubu’s government would overcome the country’s challenges.
The Oyo State Government, on Thursday sealed a new generation Church, located at Golden Estate, Oluyole, Ibadan, the State capital.
The measure was taken by the State Government, against a branch of Christ Life Church in the area, after several unresolved steps taken by the Ministry to mediate among the complainants, residents and the church.
According to the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Hon. Abdulmojeed Mogbonjubola, the State Government was left with no other options, but to seal the church premises to avert preventable escalations of brewing tensions between the residents and the church on Sunday.
Some members of the community had locked the estate gate against members of Christ Life Church, and preventing services to hold.
Hon. Mogbonjubola, declared that the present administration would not fold its arms and allow escalations of any sort.
Officials of the Ministry on receipt of several complaints from next door residents to the Church, over the incessant noise, through official letters and phone calls, visited the area, on Thursday 9th November, 2023.
The team recorded the sound level of the church activities at intervals, starting from praise- worship, with the average reading of Seventy-four (74) DB (daytime), contravening the Extant Environmental Regulations of 2023, Section 58, Paragraph (b) which states that the noise limits for residential areas at daytime must not exceed 65DB.
Hence, it was ascertained with sound measurements that the church constituted noise pollution.
He emphasized that a resolution meeting was held with the parties, in the Ministry’s conference room on 29th November 2023, where the Church refused to sign undertaking letter, with the excuse to get approval from the its Headquarters and report back on Monday 4th December, 2023.
The Ministry frowned at the consistent crisis, which consequently resulted in the sealing of the church.
The Minister for Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, says the Nigerian Government spends N1 billion on Duty Tour Allowance (DTA) and air tickets for Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, officers who travel back and forth from Abuja to Lagos, annually.
Keyamo disclosed this on Thursday in a statement clarifying his ‘N500 million FAAN workers’ DTA’ comment on Channels Television.
According to him, in 2023, FAAN workers spent N493,678,620.37 on DTA and N451,058,950.09 for air tickets.
“When I did my Channels TV interview yesterday, I was not briefed about the amount FAAN spent last year alone on DTA (Duty Tour Allowance) for the principal officers who travelled back and forth from Lagos to Abuja almost daily.
“The amount came up to N493,678,620.37. Aside from the air tickets, which I mentioned amounted to N451,058,950.09.
“So, in total, because of insistence on naming Abuja as the headquarters of FAAN (when there are no offices in Abuja to accommodate all the principal officers), FAAN spent close to N1 billion in one year,” he said.
