Category: News

The Government of the State of Osun has condoled the families of police officers killed by armed robbers in Iragbiji on Tuesday.

The State Government reaffirmed its commitment to security of lives and property.

Recall that on Tuesday, some armed robbers attacked a commercial bank and police divisional headquarters in Iragbiji, the headquarters of Boripe Local Government Area of the State, leaving two police officers dead.

The two officers that lost their lives to the ugly incident are Inspector Adebiyi Hammed and Inspector Odeyemi Ayinla.

Speaking during the condolence visits to the family members of the deceased, the Special Adviser to Governor Adegboyega Oyetola on Security, Mrs. Abiodun Ige, expressed heartfelt condolences of the Governor and the Government to the families of the deceased.

Ige, who led the delegation on the visit to Iragbiji and Osogbo where the families of the deceased reside, described the incident as most unfortunate and disheartening.

She said the Administration would continue to do the needful to guarantee the security of the people and ensure safety for all.

Ige condoled the deceased’s families to take solace in God as their loved ones ended their lives in the course of service to humanity and their fatherland.

She said: “We are here on behalf of the Governor and his government to express our condolences over the sudden deaths of the gallant officers who lost their lives to the unfortunate robbery incident at Iragbiji yesterday.

“We were sent by Goverment to come and condole you. We don’t know how and why it happened but God knows it.

“As a government, we are very pained; we are concerned and touched, and we equally shared in your pains at the moment. It is our prayer that such unfortunate circumstances will not reoccur in our State.

“Our appeal is for you to see the incident as the will of God as we pray God to uphold your families and grant you fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”

The delegation visited members of the families of the deceased in Iragbiji and Osogbo respectively.

The Government of Nigeria has approved a two-week paternity leave for civil servants.

This signifies a major shift in the country’s civil service rules and comes after years of debate around the issue.

Nigeria’s Head of Civil Service Folasade Yemi-Esan said that the 14-day paternity leave is to enable fathers and their newborns “bond well together”.

She says the leave is applicable to men whose spouses have given birth and those who have adopted a baby who is less than four months old.

Prior to this policy, only women were entitled to a maternity leave.

The introduction of the paternity leave in Nigeria comes as campaigners continue to advocate for men to be more involved in childcare and to support mothers.

This is an attempt to shift from the tradition of leaving childcare responsibility solely with the mothers.

By Adebayo Miracle

Emergency repair work on the Lagos Marina Bridge has commenced since yesterday 29th of September and it’s scheduled to come to an end by the 23rd of December 2021. Dr.  Fedrick Oladeinde who happens to be the Commissioner for Transportation in Lagos state disclosed it, in one of his statement on Tuesday  that the road repairs will be in phases in order to ensure the conveniency of the road users.

He further went on to describe the road closed down on phase by phase, saying that the Ijora-bound lane will be closed to movement of vehicles during the first phase, while the Apapa- bound lane will be closed down during the second phase of the construction. Speaking more on the diversion of the traffic, he added that the motorists heading towards the axis of Ijora will be directed to the Apapa-bound lane in a counter-flow and vice versa when the Apapa bound lane is closed down for repairs. This way, the traffic hindrances are reduced during the course of the projects.

It was also confirmed from the Commissioner of Roads that the officers of the State’s taffic Management agency, LASTMA would be directing the traffic in addition to the traffic signs placed on the routes to guide the movement of vehicles during this stipulated period.

Dr. Fedrick Oladeinde finally solicited for the cooperation of the road users and residents at the construction site for quick successful commencement and completion of the emergency work.  

The Lagos Zonal Command of the EFCC, on Wednesday, September 29, 2021, secured the conviction and sentencing of a retired Navy Captain, Jerry Ogbonna, before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos for stealing and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of N45million.

Ogbonna, alongside his company, Obyke System Consult Limited, obtained the sum of N45 million from Diamond Bank Plc by falsely presenting to the bank that the said money represented the mobilisation fee from the Department of Petroleum Resources of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

Details later.

The attention of the Lagos State Police Command has been drawn to a trending post on the social media about obviously exaggerated kidnapping incidents in Lagos State recently.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu wishes to assure residents that Lagos State is safe, and that they should not panic on account of the viral post or the recent security infringement in Ajah where AVM Sikiru Smith (rtd) was abducted on 27th September, 2021.

The assurance becomes imperative in view of the unnecessary alarm and concerns being raised on the social media about isolated security infractions in some parts of the state.

The victim who was kidnapped in Festac on Sunday 26th September, 2021 has been rescued and reunited with his family. Operatives of the Command are being tactical so as not to jeopardize the lives of the AVM and the pastor. Concerted efforts are ongoing to rescue them and arrest their abductors in due course.

In view of the foregoing, the Commissioner of Police wishes to state that the isolated incidents notwithstanding, Lagos State is, and will remain one of the safest states in Nigeria.

To allay the fear of the people, therefore, the Command has restrategized to provide watertight security for all law-abiding residents of the State. The Commissioner of Police has given standing order to all field Commanders, tactical unit Commanders, other uniformed and plain-clothed police officers to intensify visibility Policing, vehicular patrol as well as intelligence-driven raid of all flashpoints/blackspots and identified criminal hideouts to smoke out men of the underworld hibernating in them.

The CP also wishes to state that the Police Command is conscious of its statutory duties of protecting lives and property among other duties, and would not for any reason or at any time abdicate these important duties.

While still pleading with members of the public to believe in police’s ability to protect them at all times, the Commissioner of Police once again solicits the support of the public, sister agencies and other strategic partners by giving prompt but actionable intelligence that would further decimate criminal elements and their nefarious activities in the state.

A forensic report presented by a witness, Olabisi Ajayi-Kayode on Tuesday to Special Offenses Court in Ikeja has revealed that the embattled Yoruba actor, James Olanrewaju Omiyinka, popularly known as ‘Baba Ijesha’, inserted a car key into the private part of a minor.

Olabisi Ajayi-Kayode who’s a child forensic interview expert, narrated how the suspect allegedly groomed and defiled a minor. Led in evidence by Mrs Olayinka Adeyemi, Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Ajayi-Kayode said that the alleged victim was relaxed, cooperative and could recall events when she was being interviewed.

“The clinal presentation of child sxual abse was quite evident. The perpetrator engaged the child in sxual activity when she was seven years old, on two occasions. On the 19th of April 2021, he sxually harased her, touching her body. He told her: ‘I touched you some years back, you are so grown, so developed. Do you have a boyfriend? We have some unfinished business. These are the clinical presentations of child sxual abse. These are the dynamics of child sxual abuse and the modus operandi of perpetrators – inculcation of secrecy, intimidation, thr*at or coercion,” she said.

“He asked the child if he should remove his pnis and asked her to sit on his lap. He told her not to tell anybody. The perpetrator also inserted his car key into her vgina and asked her not to tell anyone,” Olabisi Ajayi-Kayode added

Justice Oluwatoyin adjourned the trial to October 20 and 21 for further hearing. Recall that Baba Ijesha was on June 16 arraigned before a Chief Magistrates’ Court in Yaba, Lagos State for alleged sexual asault and attempted r*pe of a minor.

ODUDUWA NEWS has gathered that some masked gunmen have abducted Air Vice Marshal Sikiru Smith (retd.), in the Ajah area of Lagos State.

Smith is a cousin to a former Inspector-General of Police and current Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Musiliu Smith.

It was learnt that the retired general, who is currently the Chairman of Double Wealth Ventures Limited – a dredging and engineering firm – was supervising work on a site in the Ajah area of Lagos State on Monday when masked gunmen invaded the place and shot sporadically.

The gunmen were said to have whisked the retired general away in a waiting speedboat and sped away.

According to a SOS voice note shared by his driver, Corporal Odiji, the retired AVM engaged in a struggle with the gunmen before he was subdued.

Odiji stated, “This is an emergency. I am Corporal Odiji attached to Air Vice Marshal Smith. They just abducted him from the site where we were working. Some gunmen who were wearing masks just came and snatched my boss now. They shot everywhere. I was near where I was fixing my boss’ vehicle.

A suspected armed robber, Rotimi Ojugbele, was on Monday, September 27, arrested by men of the Ogun state police command along Ilaro/Owode Yewa road, while coming from a robbery operation.

A statement released by the spokesperson of the command, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, says the suspect was arrested when the DPO of Ilaro division, CSP Olayemi Jacob, led his men on an early morning patrol of the area at about 6 :30 am.

”While on the road, two men on motorcycle with one of them carrying a bag were accosted for stop and search, and immediately they were stopped, one of them jumped down and took to his heels while the other one was quickly apprehended.

On searching the bag found with them, the following items were found in the bag: one double barrel locally made pistol, One single barrel locally made pistol, nine live cartridges, one Samsung galaxy S8, two small Intel phones without sim card, two wraps of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp, one white wrist watch and cash sum of #460” Oyeyemi said

The spokesperson added that the state commissioner of police CP Edward Awolowo Ajogun has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspect to state criminal investigation and intelligence department for discreet investigation. He also directed that the escaped suspect be hunted for and brought to justice

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan Zonal Command on Friday, September 24, 2021 secured the conviction of three internet fraudsters: Sodiq Oluasegun Adefila, Anifowoshe Babamide and Raqeed Salaudeen Segun.

While Adefila was convicted of impersonation and sentenced to eight months jail term by Justice Patricia Ajoku of the Federal High Court, Ibadan; Anifowoshe and Raqeed were convicted of impersonation and sentenced to six months imprisonment each by Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court, Ibadan.

Details later.