Oduduwa News

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has urged the residents of Oyo State, particularly the Yoruba people in Shasha area of Ibadan, the state capital against taking laws into their hands as a result of provocation.

Governor Akeredolu, who doubles as the Chairman of the South-West Governors’ Forum, spoke on Saturday on the violent clash in Shasha community, Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State.

In a statement which he personally signed and made available to journalists, the governor reminded the people of value of the high moral standards for which the Yoruba stock is known, saying, “We note with deep concern the most and avoidable orgy of violence in Shasha, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

As governor of Ondo State who doubles as the chairman, Governors’ Forum in the South-West, it becomes very compelling for me to address all residents, in particular, the Yoruba speaking people of our dear region as regards recent happenings bordering on security.

Without doubt, the situation we have found ourselves as a people is most despicable and contends violently against and abhorrently at variance with the value and hospitability for which our people are known.

We have been known for thoroughness. We have identified with legality for centuries; and our ethoes as a civilized breed of people are such that we do not identify with lawlessness, not even illegality.

In this regards, we urge all indigenes of South-West to sustain these values and enviable virtues by remaining with law abiding. Our resolve in this direction is not a sign of weakness, it is indeed, the strongest of all.

In particular, while I understand the height of provocation in the light of recent happenings as regards Shasha, Ibadan. I, alongside my other brother governors in the region are against willful appropriation of laws into hands. We do not support violence and in particular, brigandage, jungle justice and unnecessary self help.

We note with delight the efforts of our brother governor, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State who has taken bold step to stave off further escalation of the violence by imposing curfew in the affected areas.

He deserves every support in his avowed commitment towards peace and security in Oyo State. We shall all survive these times and live peacefully once again in our land

Osun Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, has disowned the 2022 Governorship campaign posters in his name, saying he is still preoccupied with the delivery of quality service to the people of the State.

He said governance is still uppermost in his mind and as such he would not want to be distracted at this critical stage of his tenure.

To this end, he called on those behind the posters to tarry a while and wait for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to blow the whistle for the contest.

Two media outfits, Osun Defender and Bioreports, had reported: ” Osun 2022: Oyetola’s second term posters spotted in Osogbo.”

But the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ismail Omipidan, said his principal had no hand in the said posters.

He however wondered at the curious coincidence of the story in two different media by the same reporter who goes by the name Solomon Odeniyi.

“Since none of the two media acknowledged the other as being the originator of the news item, I smell some kind of mischief and ulterior motive, especially as the promoter and patron of one of the media was a former Commissioner in the State.

“Whatever the motives or intentions are, they are dead on arrival.

“For now, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State is more preoccupied with mobilising the people for membership registration and re-validation exercise, while Governor Oyetola is preoccupied with governance and not politicking.

“The Governor appreciates the goodwill and the solidarity of those behind it, if truly they are genuine, but wishes to state that what is uppermost in his mind at the moment is to take Osun to greater heights.

“He, therefore, appeals to those behind it to channel their efforts towards supporting government’s effort at changing the fortune of the State, which would probably make 2022 unattractive to the opposition, ” Omipidan added.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has mourned the passing of the first Civilian Governor of the State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande.

Jakande, a renowned journalist and elder statesman, who governed Lagos State during the aborted Second Republic between 1979 and 1983, died on Thursday at the age of 91.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, in a condolence message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, on Thursday said the late Jakande will remain one of the best public office holders in the political history of Nigeria based on how he transformed Lagos State and Nigeria during his tenure as Honourable Minister of Works.

The Governor said Alhaji Jakande popularly referred to as ‘Baba Kekere’ brought a lot of development to Lagos State as governor between October 1,1979 and December 31, 1983 in line with the five cardinal programmes of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), founded by the late sage and former Premier of the Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

The Governor also described the former Minister of Works as an epitome of honesty, dedication and selflessness, who used his elevated positions for the betterment of the people he served.

Governor Sanwo-Olu said the late Alhaji Jakande is one of the few Lagosians and Nigerian leaders that demystified politics by bringing governance closer to the people.

He said Jakande left with impeccable records in Lagos State and that is why he remains till date, a reference point for governors in Lagos and other parts of the country.

He said: “On behalf of the Government and people of Lagos State, I want to express my sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and associates of the late Alhaji Lateef Jakande as well as members of the progressive community.

“No doubt, the death of Alhaji Jakande is a colossal loss to Lagos State and Nigeria. He made lots of positive impact and contribution during his lifetime to the growth of our dear State by introducing housing and educational programmes that targeted the poor, building new neighbourhood primary and secondary schools and providing free education for all.”

“Baba Jakande within his four years in office established the Lagos State University. His government constructed over 30,000 housing units,which were of great value to the masses.

“Having distinguished himself as ‘Action Governor’, Alhaji Jakande was appointed Minister of Works in 1993 where he replicated his developmental programmes, by building thousands of housing units in different parts of Nigeria as Federal Low Cost Housing Estates.

The Governor added that the late Jakande’s selling point is not only in politics but journalism, his chosen profession.

“Alhaji Jakande also made remarkable contributions to the media industry as a respected journalist and media manager. He used the power of the press to influence positive changes in the country’s social and political landscape.”

The Governor reminded Lagosians that the best way to immortalise ‘LKJ’ as late Alhaji Jakande is popularly known, is to ensure that good governance the deceased advocated spreads to every facet of the Nigerian society.

Following skirmishes reported in Shasha market in Akinyele Local Government Area of Ibadan, the Oyo State government has ordered the immediate closure of the market indefinitely.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the governor gave the order to forestall breakdown of law and order in the area and equally imposed a curfew on Shasha and the market area.

The curfew is to run from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m.
The statement warned residents of the affected area to go about their legitimate businesses peacefully, stating that anyone caught perpetrating violence will face the wrath of the law.

The statement read: “His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde has directed the immediate closure of Shasha market indefinitely following reports of a breach of peace in the area.

“The governor has also approved the imposition of curfew on Shasha. It will run from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m.

“Residents of the affected area are enjoined to go about their legitimate businesses within the hours stipulated by the law.

“Anyone caught disrupting the peace of the community will be made to face the wrath of the law.”

As Osun Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality, Human Rights Violations and Related Extra Judicial Killings resumed sitting on Thursday, one of the petitioners, Mr. Adeolu Paul Sunday narrated how he was allegedly duped of #36million by four business syndicates in Lagos in 2016.

He said he was defrauded by the alleged business syndicates who were allegedly aided by the police to escape justice after being apprehended.

This is even as the panel harped on diligent prosecution, noting that it would not hesitate to strike out any case found wanting as the panel is resolute to ensure justice for all.

Recounting his ordeals at the hands of the police, Sunday, who claimed to be a businessman supplying electrical appliances and installation, said he was tricked to pay a sum of N36million into different accounts by the fraudsters.

He explained that in the quest to raise the money, he had to borrow a sum of N1.8million from his banker friend to augment the said money paid into the accounts of the syndicate members for the supply of electrical installations.

The petitioner further explained that the case was later reported at the Dugbe Police Division, Osogbo, by his friend who borrowed him N1.8million when he couldn’t refund the money on time.

“I am a practicing engineer dealing in electrical installation, inverter and solar energy installation with Certificate of incorporation RC 1256413 dated April 22 2015.

“I met one Mr. Kunle Ogunbanwo in 2016 who claimed to be a major supplier of electrical installations and we both agreed to run business together before I noticed that he had ulterior motive to defraud me.

“I started sending money into the accounts to the tune of N36million having taken me to his different warehouses in Lagos with the assurance of prompt delivery of all I applied for without knowing that he had an intension to dupe me.

“In the course of raising the money, I went into borrowing where I took a loan of N1.8million from one Mr. Abdulrahman Hasan Raji, a friend of mine who later went to report the case to Police in Osogbo when I couldn’t pay him back as agreed.

“Upon this, I was arrested on 4th December, 2016 by Sergeant Muritala Muhammed and Late Inspector Femi Awoyemi both of Dugbe Police Station, Osogbo for failing to pay back the money that I borrowed from the complainant. I was detained and tortured mercilessly for seven days without being tried.

“But later, when I narrated what I used the money for and how I was duped by the syndicate members, Sergeant Muritala Mohammed and Inspector Femi Awoyemi who were serving at Dugbe Police Station, Osogbo, at the material time, both travelled to Lagos to effect arrest of suspected criminal gang members who defrauded me having seen the evidence of different banks deposit tellers that showed that I had been defrauded.

“Though four of the suspected fraudsters were arrested through the account numbers that I sent the money to, to my surprise, the Police later released them.

“One Sergeant Muritala Mohammed; CSP Babatunde Ogundairo (the then D.C.O, Dugbe Police Station, Osogbo), now the D.P.O Oke Odo Ota-Efun Police Station, Osogbo and Inspector Femi Awoyemi (now deceased) also at Dugbe Station, were the police officers involved in the matter.

“I am pleading to the panel to look into my petition and bring the erring officers to justice because if the suspects were not released, I would have gotten my money back”, he added.

Corroborating his client’s claims, the counsel to the petitioner, Barrister K.A. Adebisi prayed the panel to order a fresh probe of the complaints of fraud by the petitioner against the main suspects (Kunle Ogunbanwo, Hon. Bello, one Mr. Ayoola) and their cohorts who were arrested but assisted to escape in a very shaddy and dubious circumstance.

“We also want an order of this revered Panel to the appropriate authority having powers to sanction the erring police found guilty by allowing the culprits to escape justice, thus violating the fundamental rights of the petitioner to access justice as enshrined in section 6(6) (b) and 36 of the CFRN, 1999 (As Ammended) to serve as deterrence to others,” he appealed.

The cases heard by the panel on Thursday were: OS/JPIPB/003/2020 Oluyide Joseph Adekola versus Osun State Commissioner of Police; OS/JPIPB/007/2020 LAbdullahi Opeyemi AbdulRaheem versus Osun State Commissioner of Police; OS/JPIPB/008/2020 Chief Adegnoyega Agbaje & IOR. versus Osun State Commissioner of Police; OS/JPIPB/006/2020 Mr. Elusanmi Kolawole versus Osun State Commissioner of Police; OS/JPIPB/14/2020 Adeola Paul Sunday versus Osun State Commissioner of Police and OS/JPIPB/19/2020 Mrs. Kafayat Ibitoye & 10R. versus Osun State Commissioner of Police.

In efforts to verify the claims of petitions received at the Oyo state’s ENDSARS panel, the committee on Thursday paid an assessment visit to Divine Success Nursery and Primary school, in Ibadan.

The assessment visit was led by Chairman of the Panel, Retired Honourable Justice Badejoko Adeniji and the Special Adviser to Governor Makinde on Political matters and Strategy, Babatunde Oduyoye, on the petition received by the co-owner of the afore-stated school, Mr Olabanji, about the destruction of the school and stationeries.

During the assessment visit, Olabanji’s wife, Taiwo, affirmed the level of destruction of the school which was her initiative conceptualized on the 5th of January, 2012, as the number of registered students was equated at 28.

While speaking with newsmen on the assessment visit, Chairman of the Oyo state’s ENDSARS panel, Retired Honourable Justice Badejoko Adeniji, noted that it is important to verify the claims of petitioners before the Panel and make necessary recommendations to the state’s Government.

So far, over 70 petitions have been received by the Oyo ENDSARS Panel constituted by the state’s Government to investigate the victimization of Indigenes and residents by officials of the States Anti-Robbery Squad, on the 10th of November, 2020.

The Oyo State Police Command has arrested some members of criminal gangs involved in killings, kidnappings, and other atrocities in the Ibarapa area of the state.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mrs. Ngozi Onadeko, led other top police officers to parade the suspects and others arrested by men of the command in Ibadan on Wednesday.

The CP said, “On January 2, 2021, at about 1955hrs, some members of a notorious kidnapping syndicate who have been terrorising members of the public in the Ibarapa axis of Oyo State invaded Subawah Filling Station located along Idere Road, Igboora, with sophisticated firearms such as AK-49 rifles, cutlasses, and other dangerous weapons. In the course of the attack, the kidnapper shot indiscriminately in different directions, and in the process, two young girls who were later identified as Bababtunde Omowumi and Toriola Kudirat were hit by stray bullets and died on the spot.

“The suspects whisked her (owner of the filling station) into the bush where they brutally murdered her after shooting at her several times in the stomach.
“The three deceased victims were later deposited at the morgue by policemen from Igboora Division and upon the conclusion of their preliminary investigation, the case was transferred to the Monitoring Unit for more diligent investigation. No sooner was the case received than a team of crack police detectives swung into action and arrested nine suspects from their hideouts.
” On January 5, 2021, further investigation revealed that one of the prime suspects Jare Mohammed (Male) inserted his sim card Number 07086824526 on the Nokia Phone belonging to the deceased, Alhaja Adisa Sherifat, which was carted away from her during the armed robbery operation that claimed her life.”

Apart from the suspects, the CP said the police also arrested the hoodlums, who abducted the Chairman of Iganna Local Council Development Area of the state, Mr. Jacob Adeleke.The council boss was kidnapped with his driver on the Okeho-Ado Awaye road and ransom was collected before he was released.
The CP said the council boss was invited and he identified his abductors.
Onadeko said, “Based on credible intelligence, the command through operatives of the CP Monitoring team intercepted and arrested some members of a dreaded kidnapping syndicate armed with AK-47 rifles.

” The suspects confessed to kidnapping the Chairman of Iganna LCDA, Adeleke Jacob Olayiwola, along the Iganna/Ado Awaye road, subsequently dispossessed him of all his personal effects and a random of N5.5million was paid. The victim vividly identified the suspects who had confessed to the crime.”

She gave the names of the arrested suspects in connection with the kidnapping as Babuga Mohammadu; Rabiu Mohammadu; Usman Mohammed and Aliyu Mohammed.