The Oyo State House of Assembly has described the death of Chief (Mrs.) Justina Iyabo Ogundoyin as a rude shock and devastating at this period when her motherly roles will be more required in the legislative support of the State.
The Clerk of the House, Pastor (Mrs.) Yetunde Awe made the declaration while commiserating with the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin over the death of his mother.
Mrs. Awe described the deceased as a loving and caring mother, a strong supporter of democracy and a peaceful woman of honour whose lifestyle is worthy of emulation.
Her statement revealed further that the death of late Chief (Mrs.) Ogundoyin has left a vacuum that would be difficult to fill up in many aspects.
She prayed that the Lord grant her soul eternal rest.
Further prayed God to give the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss, added that late Chief (Mrs.) Ogundoyin will be greatly missed by the immediate family, Eruwa community, Ibarapa land and Oyo State in general.
Until her death, Chief (Mrs.) Justina Ogundoyin was the Iyaloja General of Ibarapaland and the fourth wife of the Ibarapa Business mogul, late Chief Adeseun Ogundoyin.
The 2023 National Population and Housing Census is to commence on May 3, the Federal Government has confirmed.
Dr Garba Abari, a member of the Publicity and Advocacy Committee on 2023 National Population and Housing Census, confirmed this on Sunday in Abuja when he appeared on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum.
He said that the three-day exercise would commence May 3 and end on May 5 across the country.
Abari, who is the Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), explained that the census exercise would capture every person, household and structure for national planning and project execution purposes.
According to him, the change in the date was due to the postponement of the 2023 gubernatorial and state houses of assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“That change by INEC made it mandatory for us to also adjust the date for the conduct of the exercise,” he said.
He described the census and the 2023 elections as major national events with significant importance which had earlier been planned to hold not too far away from each other
“ The census had to be put forward from the initial date of March 29 to April 2nd, now to May 3rd to 5th.
“ There are two things that informed the shift in date. First, in the course of our planning by the National Population Commission, it was so factored that INEC will also tinker with its own electoral timetable.
“The gubernatorial election, as you are aware, had to be shifted by one week. This had a telling effect on the date of commencement of the census.
“Just like election, the Census is also a very long process, from the training, the sub-trainings, retraining leading uptill the very day of the actual house listing and numbering.
“These will then be followed by the actual capture of the population.”
On the level of preparedness, the NOA boss assured the nation that the National Population Commission was ready to embark on the exercise.
He described the exercise as a significant event that would aid national planning and execution of developmental projects.
He said: “Most of the information that have gone out to the public about the census like the awareness creation, sensitisation, enlightenment, advocacy around the census have all been taking place.
“Perhaps, not on a scale that will make us feel comfortable to say every Nigerian is now census conscious, census aware, in spite of the very significant role that it has to play in our national life.
“But, clearly, the census is absolutely important because it is for development, planning, security, infrastructure development, educational, health and other demographic considerations all encapsulating in one.’’
ODUDUWA NEWS has gathered that a Family Court sitting in Iyaganku had ordered that four students of Eleyele Secondary School, Eleyele, Ibadan in Oyo State be remanded for allegedly raping a female colleague, who was mentally challenged.
NAN reports that the defendants are minors.
The police charged them with conspiracy and unlawful sexual intercourse.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Sumbo Adetuyibi, did not take their plea due to lack of jurisdiction.
Adetuyibi ordered that they should be remanded in Abolongo Correctional facility if the juvenile correctional facility at Ijokodo, Ibadan, does not accept them.
She adjourned the matter until May 11
Earlier, the Police Prosecutor, Insp Folake Ewe told the court that the students allegedly conspired together to commit the offence.
Ewe said the minors, between January and March 15, defiled a 16-year-old female colleague, who was mentally challenged.
She said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 516 of the Criminal Code and section 34 of the Oyo State Child Rights Law 2006.
A High Court in Lagos has mandated electricity companies to give consumers three working days’ notice before interrupting their supply.
The suit was filed by a Lagos Lawyer, Bolaji Ramos against Eko Electricity distribution Plc (EKDP).
The judgment made it a legal duty for DisCos to always give customers a minimum of three working days’ notice before taking or interrupting the power supply in line with NERC’s Customer Service Standards of Performance for Distribution Companies 2007, made pursuant to Electric Power Sector Reform Act (No.6 of 2005).
Ramos had questioned whether by the clear provisions of Regulation, four of NERC’s Customer Service Standards of Performance for Distribution Companies 2007 made pursuant to Electric Power Sector Reform Act (No.6 of 2005), the Defendant is under mandatory obligations to give its customers a minimum of three working-day notice before causing any planned power supply interruption.
He also sought whether by the unambiguous provision of Regulation, four of NERC’s Customer Service Standards of Performance for Distribution Companies 2007 made pursuant to Electric Power Sector Reform Act (No.6 of 2005), the Defendant could interrupt its customers’ power supply other than for planned maintenance of its equipment, same which must still be preceded by a minimum of three (3) working-day notice to its customers.
Ramos, therefore, asked the court to make it a legal duty to always give the customers three working-day notice before taking or interrupting the Claimant’s power supply in line with NERC’s Customer Service Standards of Performance for Distribution Companies 2007, made pursuant to Electric Power Sector Reform Act (No.6 of 2005).
Ramos, among other pleas, said any interruption of the Claimant’s electricity supply by the DisCos without a minimum of three working-day prior notice is illegal, unlawful and in violation of NERC’s regulations.
Delivering the judgment, the court held that the Claimant’s claims succeeded in part and declared amongst others that DisCos owes a legal duty to always give the customer and other customers a minimum of three working-day notice before taking or interrupting the Claimant’s power supply in line with NERC’s regulations.
The court also declared that any interruption of the Claimant’s and other customers’ electricity supply by the Defendant without a minimum of three working-day prior notice is illegal, unlawful and in violation of NERC’s regulations.
As crisis erupted in some secondary schools in Ibadan where some students engaged in violent clashes that led to the destruction of some properties and infliction of injuries on innocent citizens. the Oyo State Government has announced the closure of the affected six secondary schools.
The Commissioner for Education, Barr Rahman AbduRaheem announced the decision of the government to close down the schools for academic activities to prevent loss of life and property.
According to the Commissioner, the affected schools located in Molete and Kudeti areas, they are; Anglican Grammar School, Ibadan Grammar School, Olubi Memorial Grammar School, St Luke’s Grammar School, St Luke’s College and St David Grammar School.
Barr AbduRaheem said the decision was taken to arrest the violent clashes among students of the affected schools which have witnessed destruction of properties, injuries to residents and innocent commuters.
The Commissioner said the affected schools will remain closed until 21st March, 2023 when appropriate measures will have been put in place to prevent reoccurrence of violent clashes.
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, ordered the Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Police to pay the sum of 5 Million Naira as compensation to Adedotun Clement, the Uber driver who was publicly attacked, assaulted and humiliated by officials of the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Agency and the Nigeria Police Force during the first anniversary of EndSARS in 2021.
During the first anniversary of the EndSARS protest on 20th October, 2021, Mr Clement was carrying a passenger from the Island to the Mainland part of Lagos, when he encountered the protest at the Lekki Toll Gate which was disrupted by officials of Lagos State and the police.
Following the pandemonium that ensued after policemen and the officers of the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Agency fired tear-gas canisters to disperse the peaceful protesters and arrested many protesters, Mr Clement temporarily abandoned his car like other motorists and ran for his life.
However, when he returned to pick his car, he was accosted, dragged, tortured and manhandled by the officers who refused to heed his entreaties that he was a Uber driver and only wanted to retrieve his car.
The assault was captured on video and reported by media houses.
In their attempt to forcefully put him inside the vehicle of the Lagos State Taskforce otherwise called Black Maria, the officials of the Lagos State Government amin connivance with the police officers also used pepper-spray on Mr Clement who cried for help.
Following public condemnation that trailed the viral incident, Lagos-based human rights lawyer and activist, Mr Inibehe Effiong, took up the case and sued the Lagos State Government, the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency, Attorney General of Lagos and the Nigeria Police.
Delivering judgment in the fundamental rights case with Suit Number: FHC/CS/1862/2021, the presiding judge, Hon. Justice A. L. Allagoa, found that the treatment meted on the applicant amounted to a violation of his right to dignity and awarded the sum of N5 million as damages.
The Court condemned the torture of Mr Clement by officials of the Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Police Force.
The applicant’s counsel, Mr Effiong, in his reaction to the judgment, expressed appreciation to the court for upholding the rights of his client.
Effiong also called on the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babjide Sanwoolu, to comply with the judgment and pay the compensation in line with his public declaration that he has compensated victims connected with the EndSARS, and to reassure Lagosians that he believes in human rights.
The Muslim Rights Concern has expressed satisfaction and appreciation to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State for removing his name from the signboard.
Recall that the Islamic group, on Saturday, criticized the governor for naming the mosque that he demolished and rebuilt after him.
The governor reportedly gave orders for the removal on Sunday, following Saturday’s protest.
MURIC on Monday commended Makinde in a statement by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
He said: “reports reaching MURIC’s Lagos headquarters say Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has removed his name from the signboard of Adogba Central Mosque, Iwo Road, Ibadan.
“Recall that Adogba Central Mosque was demolished by the Makinde administration in 2020, despite our protestations. The governor promised to rebuild it, and it was recently rebuilt. But the governor renamed the mosque after himself, and MURIC asked him to remove his name.
“We advised him to delete his name and leave the mosque’s original name there before the fast-approaching gubernatorial election of Saturday, March 18, 2023, in order to avoid protest votes from Muslims in the state.
“The state branch of MURIC has confirmed that the governor’s name has been removed from the inscription on the mosque, which now reads ‘Adogba Central Mosque’. This was done yesterday, March 12th, 2023.”
“We appreciate Governor Seyi Makinde for complying with MURIC’s advice. MURIC may be radical, but it is rational. We affirm that we are not confrontational or militant. Neither of us are unnecessarily difficult to relate to once the relationship is based on mutual respect and no attempt is made to trample on the Allah-given fundamental rights of Muslims.
“We believe that the adherents of different religions can peacefully coexist in this country and work together towards making Nigeria great.”
“May Allah continue to protect and bless Governor Seyi Makinde. We are satisfied with the removal of his name from the mosque. No more bitter feelings, no more distrust. MURIC will continue to pursue cordial relations with both government and private institutions in Nigeria as long as they continue to give Muslims their rights and dues and as long as they allow their actions to be guided by the principles of equity, fairness, and justice,” Akintola said.
The website of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has crashed following the commencement of its recruitment.
It was gathered that, as of 11:41 am on Monday, the agency’s website indicated ‘500 internal server errors
Recall that the agency’s recruitment application began Sunday and was expected to last for two weeks.
However, applicants have not been able to access the website for hours now.
The Director of Media and Advocacy of the agency, Femi Babafemi, who confirmed the development, noted that the issue came up due to glitches resulting from traffic on the website.
“The portal never crashed. There are glitches due to the huge number of applicants trying to access the platform simultaneously, but our technical team is resolving that before noon,” Babafemi was quoted to have said.
Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has described as “false and malicious” reports that he was plotting against Bola Tinubu, the president-elect.
He was said to be plotting with a “billionaire retired general” from the north and provided funds to Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivor, the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Lagos state, to enable him defeat Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the incumbent. But in a statement issued on Monday, Isa Abdulmumin, CBN’s acting director of corporate communications, said Emefiele “does not take part in politics”.
“The attention of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been drawn to a story alleging that the Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele has launched a ‘fresh plot against President-elect’.
The aforementioned story went further to allege that the Governor has made certain amount of money available to a political aspirant ahead of March 18, 2023 gubernatorial poll,” Abdulmumin said.
“We wish to inform members of the public that this story is completely false and malicious as the Governor does not know and has never met or even spoke with Mr Gbadebo Rhodes Vivour either in person or through proxy.
“We wish to reiterate that the CBN Governor does not take part in Politics and therefore urge anyone with contrary information to prove the Governor wrong should provide such facts.
“As such the Governor and team at the CBN should be allowed to focus on their assigned job with a view to achieving statutory mandates of the Bank.”
