Category: Featured

The Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde has issued a statement reassuring the people of the State following the choas that happened in Tapa, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of the State.

He noted that his administration was doing everything necessary to address security issues in the State and in turn make the state peaceful and safe for all.

The Governor also mentioned that the recently introduced Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun) is one of the means through which the State is using to combat insecurity.
He made mention of alleged mischievousness by some members of the Corp which he said are currently under investigation and would be brought under control in no time.

He went further to state that the welfare and safety of the people was his utmost responsibility and would do all that it takes to see to it.
“We will not sit back and watch any harassment or intimidation of members of the public or our security officers” he added.

The Governor urged the people to remain calm and allow relevant security agencies perform their duties for the well-being of all.

He then gave a strong warning to corps members who are abusing their office by getting involved in criminal activities, he promised that they will be dealt with accordingly as he would not tolerate any of such behaviour from the security outfit.

The National Universities Commission has directed Vice-Chancellors of Universities to commence academic activities on January 18.

The announcement is in compliance with the directive of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities had been on strike for about 10 months which was suspended on December 23 2020.
ASUU National President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, gave a press conference in that regard at the University of Abuja.

The Commission, nonetheless, directed officers on Grade Level 12 and below to remain at home for a period of five weeks as earlier directed by the Federal Government.

According to the NUC, the new directive became a necessary step to several enquires on the full import of the commission’s previous letter with Ref. No. NUC/ES/138/Vol.63/151 and dated December 23, 2020, on the issue.

The NUC in a statement by its Deputy Executive Secretary (Administration), Chris Maiyaki, on behalf of the Executive Secretary, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, obtained on Friday morning said any further developments would be communicated to Universities as at when dued.

He also told universities to safeguard lives by strictly observing all safety protocols and guidelines of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, which have been communicated severally to them through NUC circulars.

“I am to add that universities on the resumption of academic activities, must under no circumstance violate the full cycle of the semester system, consistent with the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards approved by the NUC, as well as other extant quality assurance standards and guidelines” he said.

The Ogun State Police Command have arrested a former security guard of a church called The Grace Nations Church, popularly called Liberation City, Mela Samaila, for allegedly breaking into the church auditorium and stealing the church offering box.

The man who allegedly stole the offering box containing an undisclosed amount of money, known as Samaila was arrested shortly after he broke into the church premises situated at Ojodu Abiodun in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.

DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, the State Police Public Relations Officer, disclosed these information on Thursday in a statement.

The Officer said the suspect was arrested following an emergency call received by the Police at the Ojodu Abiodun Divisional Headquarters from security men on duty at the church premises.

He further said the suspect broke into the church around 4am on Thursday.

The guards told the police that a thief jumped over the fence of the church, broke into the main auditorium and made away with the church’s offering box.

“Upon the distress call, the DPO Ojodu Abiodun division, CSP Eyitayo Akinluwade, quickly mobilised his patrol team to the scene, combed the area and succeeded in arresting the suspect with the help of the security men of the church and the offering box was recovered from him.

Further investigation revealed that the suspect was once a security man in the church, but was relieved of his duty due to some untoward behaviour.” he said.

The PPRO said the State Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun, had directed that the suspect be charged to court following his confession and made to face the law.

A murder suspect, Tajudeen Monsuru, 30, involved in Iwo ritual killings has confessed that proceeds from sales of human parts are used to drink beer during his leisure hours.

He said this while being paraded along with other suspected criminals at the State Police Command Headquarters in Osogbo, Osun State on Tuesday. He said he has killed two persons, including his girlfriend, Alani Mutiyat.

“We strangle our victims to death after gaining their trust. Most times, we sleep together at night and deep into the night strangle them before daybreak and cut their body into pieces for sales. .

After selling their parts to clerics who need it, I use the proceed to enjoy myself and drink beer sometimes. I had killed my girlfriend before and one other young man brought to my place by Akeem. I don’t feel anything while killing them,” he said.

Meanwhile one of his accomplice, Hamzat Akeem, 25, who confessed to luring his friend, Gafari, to Monsuru’s place, where he was strangled to death said he was given N5000 for the role, while Awayewasere Yusuf, 37, claimed he bought a human head for money-making at the rate of N20,000.

Also, Lukman Garuba, 31, said he bought human flesh from Monsuru for a money-making ritual at the cost of N2,000. 📸: TribuneOnlineng

The Lagos State Government has promised to complete all the ongoing projects captured in the year 2020 budget as well as others that were started earlier.

The Honourable Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Sam Egube, disclosed this today during a Press briefing on how the State’s Budget of N1.16TR for the Y2021 would be executed, held on the Zoom platform and streamed live on Facebook, Youtube and Twitter in accordance with safety protocols

He explained that the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led administration is determined to complete most ongoing projects, particularly Ijede, Agric Isawo and Oba Sekumade roads all within the Ikorodu axis; Isuti road, Igando/Egan/Ayoba road phases 2 & 3 in Alimosho axis; Pen Cinema flyover, which is nearing completion at Agege; Iwaya and St. Finbarrs roads; Abule Okuta and Soluyi roads all within the Somolu axis; Aradagun – Imeke Mowo road to connect Lagos-Badagry Expressway in the Badagry axis and Imota rice mills.

Egube said, “The recurrent expenditure is moderated at a level of 40% of the total expenditure, out of which the personnel cost is N169bn representing 14.5% of the total expenditure, which is well within the fiscal sustainability ratio of 25%. While Capital Expenditure accounts for 60% of the total budget size to demonstrate the administration’s commitment to massive infrastructure renewal and development towards rebuilding and actualising a Greater Lagos”.

Analyzing the sectoral budget, Egube said a budgetary provision of N150.753bn was provided for the maintenance of roads and other infrastructure within the State, stressing that it was geared towards achieving the zero-pothole strategy and creating link-roads within the metropolis to resolve traffic congestion and its attendant risks.

He restated that part of the provision will also cater for the Rebuild Lagos Project/Trust Fund, Reconstruction of Lekki-Epe Expressway from Eleko junction to Epe T-junction (phase one), Lekki Regional Roads, Project Stabilisation Fund to intervene on various projects across the State as well as the State Infrastructure Intervention Fund for Roads within Local Government and Local Council Development Areas.

Others, according to him, include construction/completion of Agege Pen Cinema Flyover, Oregun Bridge Road Network, Agric Isawo Road, Bola Ahmed Tinubu Road in Igbogbo, Ijede Road and Mba Cardoso Road, Lagos Badagry Expressway as well as various community/grassroots’ projects to ensure that no one is left behind.

The Commissioner also revealed that the budget also provides for the development of infrastructure along the coastline to enhance the coastal infrastructure; the Blue and Red rail lines; Junction improvement on roads; completion of the trailer parks in the State and development of quality bus corridors amongst others, noting that there is also a provision for the building & upgrading of IT Infrastructure Statewide, e-GIS Land automation system, Single Billing system and ease of tax payment, Levies and Other Revenue enhancement initiatives.

On health, he said, the focus will be on the continuous upgrading/renovation of health facilities and completion of on-going healthcare infrastructure, including Maternal and Child Care Centres (MCCs) and the continued implementation of the health insurance scheme which represents over 23% increased provision for the health sector.

Egube averred that other projects the budget made provision for include construction/upgrading/maintenance of drainage channels, procurement of specialised equipment for flood abatement purposes, waste management, the advancement of Adiyan waterworks (phase II), the rehabilitation of mini waterworks across the State, the Development of Heritage Centre for Leadership, upgrade of National Museum and the construction of tourism facilities in Lagos, among others.

The Governor Urges Citizens To Take Responsibility As COVID-19 Cases Rise

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Thursday sought collaboration from the Federal Government in rebuilding Lagos State following the aftermath of last year’s #EndSARS protests, hijacked by hoodlums, which led to the destruction of public and private properties and businesses in the state.

Governor Sanwo-Olu said the goal of ensuring Lagos State becomes Nigeria’s investment hub can only be achieved through economic collaboration between the State and the Federal Government.

Speaking to journalists after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday, Governor Sanwo-Olu said Lagos State Government has started working on how it will make available all that is required by the Lagos State Police Command for the law enforcement agency to be more alive to their responsibilities.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, who submitted to President Buhari, the proposals for re-building Lagos State and identified economic opportunities for rebuilding the State during the visit, also explained the plans of the state to tackle the second wave of COVID-19.

He said: “We believe we can further collaborate with the Federal Government, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), on all the great work we all are doing. I think as a Commander-in-Chief, it is important for me to give him a head start.

“We also discussed other matters around some collaborative efforts that the state can enjoy with the Federal Government. They are win-win opportunities. We believe that the Federal Government can help accelerate and fast track some of those opportunities.

“Lagos is the commercial nerve center of the country and so we need to start up on economic programmes and activities that can improve not only our foreign direct investments but also make Lagos an investor destination in the country.

“I also briefed the president about security situation in Lagos and how we can further enhance and make the place a lot more business friendly. All the support we are currently receiving and how we can tweak and improve on all of the support especially with some Federal Government agencies.”

Speaking on his administration’s commitment to addressing the second wave of COVID-19 and increase in number of cases of coronavirus infection in Lagos State, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the State Government has built about 10 oxygen plants and commissioned about four and provided other facilities in public building to meet the respiratory requirements.

He said the second wave seems to be a bit more infectious than the first one, considering the number of people who have tested positive to COVID-19 and the fatality rate around the country, especially in Lagos.

The Governor therefore urged the citizens to take responsibility and to know and appreciate that COVID-19 is real, therefore they need to obey all the protocols that have been set out for them to obey.

He said: “We have seen, unfortunately, the fatality rate around the country, even in Lagos. One of the things we have realised is that a lot more people require oxygen attention, they need additional breathing aid. So we have started building what we call oxygen tent, oxygen facilities; we are building about 10 of such facilities.

“We have commissioned about four of them and we are also building additional two oxygen plants in the state so that we can meet the respiratory requirements. We understand the virus more than how we did eight to 10 months ago, so we know what treatment should be. We are better positioned for that.

“We are also doing a lot more testing in Lagos than we were doing five to six months ago: we are doing almost 2,500 to 3,000 tests every day, so we are watching the rate of positivity that we have, which is also high. It has moved from the usual 10 to 12 per cent and we are now seeing positivity rate of about 25 and sometimes 30 per cent. That is actually very disturbing.”

Governor Sanwo-Olu also disclosed to the journalists that Lagos State government has supported some of those affected by the #EndSARS protests.

“We are carefully taking a proper study to know what we need to do, taking our time to get it right but we have started something. Businesses that were affected, somebody having a shop looted or burnt or something. We have been able to directly support such businesses, especially on a micro, small level using the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund.

“They have started intervening and supporting some of these small businesses, giving them grants, giving them soft loans and making sure that they can come back together very quickly,” the governor said.

A High Court sitting in Ibadan , Oyo State has fixed January 18 for judgement in a suit against the State Government over the alleged intellectual property theft on the emergence of Park Management System in the State.
The Justice of the High Court, Justice Munta Abimbola fixed the date for judgment in the case between the state government and Moxharley Nigeria Limited.
Mr. Olufemi Oniyide, through his counsel , Olamiji Martins, wrote Governor Seyi Makinde in February 2019 alleging that the PMS in use by the State Government was his idea which he submitted to the office of the Governor through his Chief of Staff, Chief Oyebisi Ilaka .
Joined as defendants in the case with suit number I/ 421/ 2020 , filed on May 14 , 2020 are the Oyo State Government ; the Attorney General of Oyo State ; Chief Oyebisi Ilaka ; the Commissioner for Public Infrastructure and Transportation and the Oyo State Board of Internal Revenue .

Mr Olufemi Oniyide also stated that he demands a due compensation and apology over the theft of his intellectual property mischievously taken by the State Government.

A huge number of applicants have been locked outside of the offices of the National Identity Management Commission following a strike action embarked upon by NIMC staff.

Lucky Micheal, President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, NIMC branch and it’s Secretary Odia Victor signed the notice of the strike.
“upon the just concluded congress of the above mentioned association that took place on January 6 , 2020 , the unit executive directs all members of grade level 12 and below in the head office and state offices to report to their respective duty posts tomorrow January 7 , 2020 and do nothing .
“ All members at the local government offices and special centres are advised to stay away from their various centres as task force and implementation committees would be on parade to ensure total compliance to the directive. ” the notice read.

The Nigerian Communications Commission had last month asked all telecoms firms to disconnect the SIM cards of all persons who have not integrated their National Identity Numbers with their phone lines by the end of January.
Presently , over 100 million Nigerians are yet to register which has caused huge crowds to gather at the various offices of NIMC in breach of the COVID – 19 protocol .
According to a communiqué issued at the end of the congress meeting of the ACCSN, NIMC branch , the strike had become inevitable due to the exposure of staff members to COVID – 19 risks , lack of personal protective equipment , irregularities in promotion and poor funding of the Commission.

They also demanded to be paid overtime and given enough tools to work with .
The congress noted that, “ Staff members were infected with COVID -19 and adequate measures are yet to be taken to contain the spread .

The meeting resolved that safety of staff should be prioritised. Furthermore the office environment should be fumigated immediately.
“ The congress agreed that the NIMC staff salary structure approved by the Federal Government vide Presidential assent be implemented in the personnel appropriation of the 2021 annual budget effective January 2021 .
“ That the lopsided and irregular promotion done in 2017 and 2020 be reviewed in accordance with public service rules and the process regularised.