A sailor caused 12 passengers’ death over N300 in Lagos – Police

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, on Tuesday, paraded a commercial boat helmsman, Bimbo Elebiju, for allegedly causing the death of 12 of his passengers while conveying them to their destinations.

The victims were said to have drowned after the wave of a ship sailing along the Kirikiri waterfront made the boat, which engine had been switched off during an argument between Bimbo and his passengers over the fare, to capsize.

Odumosu, while parading Bimbo at the command headquarters in Ikeja, said 20 passengers boarded the boat from Kirikiri to Badagry, but while on the way, the passengers disagreed with the helmsman on the fare.

Odumosu said Bimbo indicated that the fare was N1,500, but the passengers insisted on paying N1,200, adding that the helmsman switched off the engine of the boat by the waterfront because of the N300 difference in fare.

He stated that when the ship sailed along, the wave made the boat to drift towards a stationary barge, where it capsized, adding that Bimbo jumped into the water, abandoned his passengers and escaped.

While five passengers were rescued, the CP said 10 others drowned, adding that the rescued passengers gave an account of Bimbo’s action before the tragedy struck.

He said Bimbo was trailed and arrested, adding that he would be charged.

Odumosu stated, “On July 29, 2020, around 5.45pm, our marine operatives received a distress call that a commercial boat with the inscription: ‘Mount Zion Transport’, fitted with 150HP Yamaha outboard engine, which was conveying 20 passengers from Kirikiri to Badagry, drifted towards a stationary barge and capsized along the Kirikiri waterfront.

A sailor caused 12 passengers’ death over N300 in Lagos – Police

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, on Tuesday, paraded a commercial boat helmsman, Bimbo Elebiju, for allegedly causing the death of 12 of his passengers while conveying them to their destinations.

The victims were said to have drowned after the wave of a ship sailing along the Kirikiri waterfront made the boat, which engine had been switched off during an argument between Bimbo and his passengers over the fare, to capsize.

Odumosu, while parading Bimbo at the command headquarters in Ikeja, said 20 passengers boarded the boat from Kirikiri to Badagry, but while on the way, the passengers disagreed with the helmsman on the fare.

Odumosu said Bimbo indicated that the fare was N1,500, but the passengers insisted on paying N1,200, adding that the helmsman switched off the engine of the boat by the waterfront because of the N300 difference in fare.

He stated that when the ship sailed along, the wave made the boat to drift towards a stationary barge, where it capsized, adding that Bimbo jumped into the water, abandoned his passengers and escaped.

While five passengers were rescued, the CP said 10 others drowned, adding that the rescued passengers gave an account of Bimbo’s action before the tragedy struck.

He said Bimbo was trailed and arrested, adding that he would be charged.

Odumosu stated, “On July 29, 2020, around 5.45pm, our marine operatives received a distress call that a commercial boat with the inscription: ‘Mount Zion Transport’, fitted with 150HP Yamaha outboard engine, which was conveying 20 passengers from Kirikiri to Badagry, drifted towards a stationary barge and capsized along the Kirikiri waterfront.

Akinyele Killings: Ensure the re-arrest of Sunday Shodipe – Makinde Orders Police

The Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, on Tuesday, gave marching orders to security operatives to ensure the re-arrest of Sunday Shodipe, the notorious suspect, alleged to be involved in the series of murders in Akinyele, who escaped from from police custody in Ibadan, on Saturday.

You will recall that the notorious serial killer, Shodipe Sunday who terrorised the people of Akinyele and was arrested by Oyo State Police Force but said to have escaped from their custody.

In the mean time the Oyo State House of Assembly in its plenary held yesterday resolved to meet the Commissioner of Police in order to unravel the mystery behind the escape of the notorious killer.

The escape of Shodipe has generated series of condemnation by the citizens and non-citizens of Oyo State.

Osun TUC Chairman commends Oyetola for pardoning 962 workers

The State of Osun Chapter of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has commended Governor Adegboyega Oyetola for pardoning 962 workers in the State, who were demoted for committing administrative infractions, including engaging in further studies without following due process.

The State Chairman of TUC, Comrade Adebowale Adekola, gave the commendation while reacting to a circular issued by the Office of the State’s Head of Service on Monday, directing all account officers in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) where the affected workers are posted to ensure the implementation of the governor’s directive.

Oyetola had during a meeting with a labour group in January ordered the reversal of the demotion of all the affected staff totalling 962, urging them not to commit such infractions again and to also show more commitment in their service to the State.

“On the issue of demotion of some workers, we have forgiven those demoted for embarking on further studies without approval. Their cases will be reviewed and their demotion will be reversed as appropriate,” the governor had said.

He also at the time tasked workers in the state to be committed to the policies and programmes of government aimed at making life more liveable for the people.

Adekola said the prerogative of mercy granted the affected public servants showed that Oyetola was a listening, caring and magnanimous leader, adding that his action had further demonstrated his love and concern for workers in Osun.

WASSCE: SA on Students’ Affairs to Oyo Govt extends best wishes to students

The Special Adviser to Seyi Makinde on Students’ Matters, Hon. Victor Olojede has congratulated the senior school students in Oyo State on the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination. The SA extends his best wishes to the students in his congratulatory message read as stated thus:

“I am excited to extend a heartfelt congratulations to students in SS3 in Oyo State and across Nigeria on the commencement of the Senior School Certificate Exams (SSCE). The commencement of this year’s SSCE lingered because of the uncertainties and protracted challenges brought upon by the coronavirus. I am excited that there is some level of progress in advancing education amid the pandemic by ensuring that these students still maintain the timeline of taking this all-important exam and proceeding to higher levels of education. I also wish to extend my profound thanks and congratulations to the ever-committed government of Oyo State, led by Governor Seyi Makinde for its astuteness, hard work and steadfastness in ensuring the safety and good health of students taking the SSCE exam in Oyo State by providing the required resources. I laud the impressive work that the government, the Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force, and the diverse schools are doing to ensure smooth completion of the exams.

“I am also sending out best wishes to the students as the exam has commenced. I wish you retention, good success, physical and mental stability throughout the duration of the examination. I urge you to work hard, be studious, diligent, and avoid every form of malpractice that will put your integrity or that of the educational institution of the state into question. In addition, I wish to admonish all students, staff, and officials involved in the examination process not to compromise any standard in maintaining health and safety precautions during this period. It is my earnest wish and desire that Oyo State will produce the best result in this year’s SSCE examination in Nigeria”.

God bless you all!
God bless Oyo State!!
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria

Akinyele killings: Oyo Assembly calls on Makinde to expedite action on Amotekun recruitment

The Oyo State House of Assembly in its plenary today resolved and mandated the Committee on Security Matters at the State Assembly to liaise and meet the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State to unravel the mystery behind the escape of a notorious Akinyele serial killer, Sunday Shodipe.

The House frowned on how the security issue in the state is being handled and hence unanimously agreed to call on the executive arm to expedite action on the recruitment of Amotekun Corps so as to nip in the bud the spate of insecurity in the State.

Yam thief: People protest ‘death sentence judgement’ in Ekiti

An Ekiti State high court, Ado Ekiti division, has sentenced a 26-year-old man, Dele Ojo, to death by hanging for murder.

The judge, Abiodun Adesodun, while delivering the judgment on Monday, said the accused was guilty of the offence.

“The circumstances of this case doesn’t allow for recommendation of clemency to the governor on behalf of the accused,” he said.

“Therefore, the defendant is hereby sentenced to death by hanging.

“May the Lord have mercy upon his soul.”

The offence was committed on September 13, 2018, at Iroko Ekiti in Ijero LGA of Ekiti State.

Mr Ojo was accused of murdering one Ajayi Adewole, contrary to Section 319 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap.C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

During the trial, a witness, who was with the deceased when he was killed said the accused had been stealing the yams of the deceased for a long time in the farm.

He said on the fateful day, they laid wait at the farm to arrest the thief.

he alleged thief, however, turned to the yams in the farm and started uprooting them, the witness added.

“Mr Adewole, who was the farm owner, identified him and shouted his name, but he reacted by shooting him at a close range,” the witness said.

Mr Adewole was later rushed to Ijero Ekiti Specialist Hospital where he was confirmed dead.

The prosecutor, Wale Fapohunda, who is also the state attorney general, while proving the case, called four witnesses, including the Investigating Police Officer and a medical doctor.

Other exhibits tendered include a dane gun, photographs of the deceased, five tubers of yam, accused confessional statements among other documents.

Meanwhile, social media has been awashed with series of condemnation as some Nigerians have been showing concerns by condemning the death sentence judgement.

Lagos commences removal of structures on right of way

The Lagos State Government has commenced the removal of structures encumbering the Right of Way (ROW) on the Lekki Regional Road.

The development was disclosed by the Honourable Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako, at a stakeholder meeting in Alausa, on Monday, where he noted that the removal became necessary to pave way for the smooth execution of the project.

He recalled that the Ministry had taken its time to go through the due process of stakeholder-engagements and the service of statutory notices to owners of affected structures as expressed in the newspaper publication of June 16, 2020.

Urging owners and occupiers of identified structures to cooperate by moving out of the approved Right of Way of the Regional Road, Salako revealed that the commenced process of establishing the Right of Way of the road is a strong indication of the government’s determination to execute the project in earnest.

He reiterated that the Lekki Regional Road is a major road being embarked upon by the Lagos State Government to facilitate the transportation and socio-economic development in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S agenda.

Leaking Subjects: WAEC warns students to be wary of scammers

The West African Examinations WAEC has released a statement to warn students to be wary of scammers who are all out to defraud them of their parents’ hard earned money under the disguise of helping them to secure the purported leaked subjects of WAEC.

The statement was made known by the Spokesman of WAEC yesterday to the PRESS men. The statement further reads: “our attention has been brought to some fake leaked subjects of the ongoing senior school certificates examination being circulated on social media. It must be said without mincing words that the said leaked subjects are fake and do not emanate from WAEC.

Students are hereby warned to be wary of scammers as no shortcut in passing WAEC other than studying hard.

Lagos alerts residents to prepare for more rains in September

The Lagos State Government, over the weekend, alerted residents on impending heavy rainfall from the end of August, saying it is intensifying measures to minimise the effects on Lagosians.

Addressing the press at Alausa, the Honourable Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello said work is ongoing on more than 200 secondary channels with over 80 percent at various stages of completion, just as 46 primary channels are presently receiving attention.

He disclosed that the ongoing projects are in addition to the continuous work of the Emergency Flood Abatement Gang (EFAG) deployed round the State to undertake quick fix to free manholes or clogged drains manually.

The Commissioner averred that one of the new measures put in place to combat flash flooding is the provision of pumping stations, with a pilot model being planned for Ilubirin in Lagos Island, explaining that the stations will promptly pump out of the water from flooded neighbourhoods to reduce the risk of damages to property.

Bello said major flood-prone areas in the State that are natural buffers to the lagoon, like Isheri and its environs, Owode, Agboyi-Ketu, will also benefit from the initiative.

In his words: “For a coastal city like Lagos, once it rains consistently for a minimum of eight hours, we are bound to have flashflood caused by the increasing inability of effective discharge into the lagoon which is brought about by a rise in the ocean level”.

“This will automatically lock up all our drainages and until the water level goes down, the drainages would be unable to discharge. This is what happens in most coastal cities around the world, including those who have adopted the best of technological advancements to curtail flooding”, he added.

Relying on data from the Nigerian Hydrological Services, Bello said the months of July, August, September and October, also known as ‘JASO’ months, signify heavy rainfall, flooding and flood disasters in most parts of the country.

He reiterated that while States like Ogun and Ekiti suffer from urban and river flooding, Lagos is at the receiving end of three types of flooding – coastal, urban and river flooding because of the peculiarity of its location.

Disclosing that the management of the Ogun-Osun River Basin Authority has also commenced the staggered release of water from the Oyan Dam, with eight to 10 Million cubic metres being released in August, Bello said the volume will increase to 18 million in September and 23 million cubic metres in October which is the peak.

While appealing to residents of low-lying areas that are contiguous to the Ogun River to be alert to the possibility of their homes being flooded as water is released from the dam, the Commissioner urged residents to adopt an attitudinal change of not dumping refuse in drainage channels and erecting structures on drainage alignments, vowing to prosecute offenders.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Drainage and Water Resources, Engr. Joe Igbokwe, maintained that the effort to contain flood is the responsibility of everyone and should not be left to the government alone.

He enjoined Lagosians to collaborate with the State Government by cleaning the drainages in their frontages and desisting from indiscriminate dumping of refuse in unauthorised places.

“I would like to appeal to Lagosians to always play their part in the cleaning of the environment. This must be a collective effort, so residents should ensure they take responsibility for what is going on around them”, Igbokwe said.

He sounded a note of warning to those engaging in these unwholesome acts to desist, saying that the Ministry has empowered its environmental enforcement agents to arrest and prosecute sanitation offenders in Lagos.

Igbokwe, however, enjoined residents to report all cases of drainage blockages, dumping of waste into canals and other unauthorised places to the appropriate authority, noting that “by so doing you are complementing the State Government efforts on the environment”.

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