Oduduwa News

ODUDUWA NEWS has just gathered that the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, on Sunday, visited Governor Adegboyega Oyetola in Osogbo, to confer with him on emerging national issues. Details later.

The Ekiti State Peoples Democratic Party faction loyal to Senator Biodun Olujimi on Saturday resolved to approach the Supreme Court over the ward congresses of the party which held in March 2020.

The faction, rising from a meeting in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, stated that “after extensive deliberation, considering the pros and cons, the appellate court judgment on the matter should be appealed at the Supreme Court, where it is believed that justice will be manifestly done.”

In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting and signed by the state factional Publicity Secretary, Sanya Adesua, the party praised its members “for their steadfastness and belief in the eventual triumph of justice over injustice and truth over falsehood”.

The communiqué was titled, ‘The resolutions of the Ekiti State PDP under the chairmanship of Hon Kehinde Odebunmi.”

The Appeal Court had on Wednesday upheld the lower court’s judgment that the matter was an internal affair of the party and by implication, approved the congresses conducted by the pro-Ayodele Fayose faction of the party.

The pro-Olujimi group is seeking an order of the court restraining the PDP National Working Committee from announcing, publishing, and recognising any list as a result of election of the ward executives and three ad-hoc delegates held on March 7, 2020.

They had also sought an order of the court restraining the party from acting on, or making use of the names of winners of the congresses for the purpose of the local government, state and zonal congresses.

The group, at the Saturday meeting, resolved that “the State Working Committee under the leadership of Hon Kehinde Odebunmi should be sustained and encouraged to go ahead with the running of the party in Ekiti.”

“All governorship aspirants are encouraged to go ahead with their consultation and mobilisation of the generality of Ekiti people, who are anxiously waiting for a PDP governor in 2022. However, such sensitisation must be devoid of rancour,” the communique stated.

But the chairman of the Ekiti State PDP loyal to Fayose, Bisi Kolawole, said although the pro-Olujimi group had the right to appeal, “the peace process is on and nothing will disrupt it. We are confident the peace process will yield fruit”.

ODUDUWA NEWS has just gathered that Ex-Ekiti Commissioner of Police, Yomi Onashile, has died of COVID-19 complications while receiving treatment at the Isolation Centre at Olodo, in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Onashile, a retired Commissioner of Police and a resident of Ashiru Estate, Adeoyo Road, died at about 10:00 a.m., on Saturday. He was said to have been on admission at the COVID-19 Isolation Centre since January 24

The deceased, while in service, served as Commissioner of Police in Abia, Oyo, Ekiti and Lagos states.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Olugbenga Fadeyi, confirmed the retired police commissioner’s death.

The environmental task force operatives in oyo state had apprehended about 40 persons, 75 motorbikes and 50 vehicles for failing to comply with monthly sanitation directive of the state government.

There had been widespread announcement about the exercise in order to enhance maximum compliance

The enforcement team was led by the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Dr. Abdulateef Idowu Oyeleke who led the enforcement team alongside the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Bashir Olanrewaju, Chairman Environmental Task Force, ACP Francis Ojomo, Special Assistant to the Governor on Environment, Engr. Ademola Aderinto, Director of Environmental Health Services, Security operatives, among others during the monthly sanitation exercise along Bodija Secretariat road in Ibadan.

The Commissioner said it is worrisome, the extent at which people go about their businesses during sanitation exercise despite the campaign against the scourge of filthy environment and the adoption of ‘clean and green initiative’ to rid the State of epidemic.

“Today being the last saturday of the month, people are expected to observe the monthly sanitation exercise by taking care of their surroundings, it is a nationwide exercise whereby each state adopts their own policy.

“Here in Oyo State, the exercise is between the hours of 6:00am and 9:00am and of course, there is restrictions of vehicular as human movement and anyone found on the road not on an essential service would be made to face the law as appropriate sanction would be given for disobeying the law of the land.

“This is to let the people know that nobody is above the law of the land and people should be made to be a respecter of the law of the land, those apprehended will serve as deterrent to others that might want to do same next time.”
Dr. Oyeleke however appealed to citizens to take the exercise as a matter of obligation in order to make the State safer and healthier for people to live in and for smooth conduct of their commercial activities.

In the same vein, the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry, Dr. Bashir Olanrewaju, stressed that a lot of residents were found, disregarding the exercise despite the effort of the state government to sensitize the public using all forms of the media.

He however opined that people would get accustomed to the routine as time goes on, especially as the State is combining enforcement with sensitization and advocacy, which he said would have positive effect on the people.

“We have so many communicable diseases, Covid-19 is just one of them, Cholera, Lassa fever are still killing people, these things are caused by filthy environment, it will also lead to unemployment as no investor would want to invest his business in a filthy environment.”
In his remark, the Chairman, Oyo State Environmental Task Force, ACP Francis Ojomo stated that it is unfortunate that there could still be large number of people that were apprehended despite the publicity given for the preparation for the sanitation.

The Special Assistant to the Governor on Environment, Engr. Ademola Aderinto appealed to residents to adjust to the new sanitation system of the State and as well embrace the culture of clean and green environment.

Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Ngozi Onadeko has warned those exhibiting lawlessness and committing crimes with impunity, that laws of Nigeria will be enforced on them whenever they are caught, no matter the position they hold in the society.

The police commissioner talked tough on Friday during an emergency stakeholders’ meeting summoned in the wake of recent crises in the state.

Among those at the stakeholders’ meeting were state heads of Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and Nigeria Immigration Service.

Others at the meeting were the Senior Special Adviser on Security, CP Fatai Owoseni (retd), traditional, community and ethnic leaders, local government chairmen, farmers, Miyetti Allah and youth organization leaders.

It will be recalled that the latest crisis was an attack on operatives of Mapo police station on Thursday by suspected hoodlums, who allegedly forcefully took back two suspects arrested by the police in connection with the killing a woman on Monday.

Onadeko, who decried the way criminals had taken laws into their hands, disclosed that the impromptu meeting was called because of what had been happening in the state.

According to her, “we need to brainstorm and seek a solution to how we can make Oyo State to be peaceful so that we shun the violence we have been witnessing for the past two, three weeks.

“I’ve come to tell all of us that we need peace in our communities and the state. If there is no peace, we can’t have economic growth or any development.

“Crime has no ethnic boundary or colour. We have good and bad people in all ethnicities.

“What we should do is to come in together and fish out all these criminal elements among us. Let us, partner, together with the police and other security agencies.

“We are in the time of community policing now, let us all come together and work as one entity.

“We should not think of where someone comes from regarding his criminal activities.

“I want to challenge us to sit down, talk and agree with one voice to fight those committing crime and criminality in the society, irrespective of ethnicity, religion, or colour.”

Onadeko said that all the security agencies in Oyo State were working hand in hand, in synergy, and cooperating to make the state safer for all.

“Anyone caught committing all these crimes and criminality, no matter who you are, no matter how high, low or middle-placed you are, we will enforce the laws of the land.

“We will do a thorough investigation, and anybody found wanting will be prosecuted. This will make the carnage and destructions to stop,” she asserted.

The police commissioner however assured that no law enforcement agencies would be after anyone, provided such a person is a law-abiding citizen and doing their legal duties.

“We are only after those people that are committing a crime.

I plead with everyone to let us join hands together and practise community policing.

“In the police force, we promise visibility policing. In every nook and cranny of the state, we will make sure that policemen and women are there, and we will respond promptly to any distress call,” she said.

She also enjoined the people to always give Intelligence-based information, so that the police would be able to nip crimes in the bud.

CP Owoseni, in his remarks, said that the stakeholders’ security meeting had been long overdue.

He described it as a good initiative, adding that it had demonstrated that the new leadership of the police and the other security heads had found it essential.

“They are passing a message that the people sitting back there in the community are actually the government and law enforcement and security agents, not only those wearing the uniform,” Owoseni stated.

He noted that since EndSARS protests, things had been as if there was no government or police again.

“The security challenges we have now, the EndSARS protests have made it to be like there is no government in the country or state again. We should change our mindsets,” the Senior Special Adviser on Security added.

In his contribution, the Serikin Sasa, Alhaji Katsina Maiyasin blamed the Fulani leaders for the incessant kidnapping and armed robbery allegedly being committed by the indigenes.

According to Serikin Sasa, any leader harbouring criminals and not reporting them would be causing Nigeria and himself injuries, upon the ones already being nursed.

“Any Fulani man, whether you are a Seriki, and you say that you don’t know any criminal among your people in your community, then you are a liar.

“I’m challenging them. They should come together and help the state so that we can all live in peace. Where they are now, they don’t have rest of mind. They are being hunted because they are afraid to tell the (security) leaders the truth about those giving problems.

“If they say they don’t know the kidnappers, how do they know how to bail the suspects arrested for kidnapping? When a kidnapper abducts someone, it is the Fulani heads within the area that would go and pay the ransom and bring the victim back home.

“How do they know the person? Who do they speak with? How do they go to the kidnappers? And they are saying they don’t know them (kidnappers)? They are liars; they know them.

“Why don’t they tell the police that this is where the kidnappers are residing? If someone calls himself ‘charge and bail’, then he is a thief.

“There is no Fulani man that will stand with me and say that he doesn’t know the kidnappers or armed robbers within the Fulani.

“The Fulani also kidnap themselves and their heads will be the ones to go and pay the ransom. If you don’t know someone or have anything to do with him, how do you have the boldness to go and meet and discuss with him, and then pay?” the Serikin Sasa queried.

He called on the Fulani to come out and help the people of the state and themselves so that all could live in peace in the state and in Nigeria.

“If a Fulani is arrested during robbery operation or kidnapping, people would be saying that all the Fulani are kidnappers or armed robbers.

“But they are very few among us; only that they are being helped by their leaders. These are the challenges we are facing now in Nigeria,” he added.

The Ijede General Hospital, on Thursday, recorded a successful and historic birth of a set of triplets since the establishment of the hospital almost four decades ago.

Speaking on the feat, the Medical Director/CEO, General Hospital, Ijede, Dr. Olufunmilayo Bankole expressed profound joy over the landmark achievement, attributing the development to investment in qualitative healthcare delivery by the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration.

In her words, “The Lagos State Government has done a lot in putting up infrastructures, providing state-of-the-art equipment and recruiting professionals, who have been highly trained in their respective fields, as evident in our success story”.

Dr. Bankole congratulated the parents of the triplets and assured the mother of adequate post-natal care as well as more qualitative healthcare for the babies.

The consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist, General Hospital, Ijede, Dr. Babatope Oni, who led the delivery team, said the mother, Mrs. Balikis Arobieke delivered a male and two female babies at 12.20, 12.21 and 12.22 pm through a caesarian section, weighing 2.2kg, 2.7kg and 2.3kg respectively.

Dr. Oni said the team, which also included Dr. Omolola James (Surgeon), Dr. Rafiat Obani (Anaesthetics) and CNO Harriet Kelani (Nurse), was full of gratitude to God and the State Government for its commitment towards improving quality healthcare delivery in the State.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested two brothers, six others for internet fraud.

The agency said its operatives arrested six of the culprits at their hideout in Ayegbami area of the ancient town following a tip-off while the two brothers were arrested in their home.

It stated further that cyber fraudsters were arrested following a surveillance and intelligence gathered about their dealings.

ODUDUWA NEWS has just gathered that a ghastly motor accident which occured on Thursday claimed the life of a lecturer of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State, Kola Oladunjoye, and three others.

It was gathered that they were returning to Ibadan from Oke-Ogun Polytechnic when they had an accident.

The incident occurred at a lagoon near Moniya community in Ibadan, the state capital.

ODUDUWA NEWS learnt that Oladunjoye, was the immediate past Head of Department of Architecture in the institution.

Further learnt that, Oladunjoye and three others were coming from Saki town and almost in Ibadan when they had the accident.

” It is a very sad day for The Polytechnic, Ibadan and its staff. The man was the immediate former head of the department of Architecture. He was a very vibrant and committed individual. It is very painful,” one of poly staff said.

Oladunjoye and the trio were said to have went to Oke Ogun polytechnic, Saki for an official assignment.

A source said that apart from Oladunjoye, the three other occupants of the vehicle driven by Oladunjoye were TETFUND officials, though the identities have not been ascertained as at the time of filing this report on Friday.

“They are Tetfund officials who were on official assignment at The Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Saki. The team also included a staff of The Polytechnic Ibadan.”

“We are yet to identify the others who may probably not be our staff. So sad but who are we to question God.

“It is very disheartening that poly Ibadan lost another gem, yesterday in a fatal motor accident along Saki road in person of Architect Oladunjoye of Architecture Department. May his soul Rest In Peace.”

However, Public Relations Officer of the Polytechnic Ibadan, Alhaji Soladoye Adewole confirmed the death of the immediate past HOD of Architecture, Mr. Kola Oladunjoye to westerndailynews reporter on Friday.

The Oyo State Government has disclosed that the National Monthly environmental Sanitation exercise would hold on Saturday, 30th January, 2021.

According to a statement signed by the State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Dr. Abdulateef Idowu Oyeleke, the sanitation exercise will hold between the hours of 6:00am and 9:00am and there shall be total restriction of both vehicular and human movement except for those on essential duties.

The statement further directed all the Chairmen of Local Government and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) to ensure compliance in their respective domains, as it is expected that citizens utilize the period to clean their surroundings.

Dr. Oyeleke directed all Directors of Environmental Health Services in the 33 Local Governments and 35 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) within the State to monitor the exercise as a matter of duty.

The statement therefore enjoined shop owners, market men and women, security operatives, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria( RTEAN), Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria(TOOAN), Association of Commercial Motorcycle Riders of Nigeria ( ACCOMORAN), and the general public to comply with this directive.

ODUDUWA NEWS has just gathered that the Lagos State Government has ordered reduction of the tuition fee for students of Lagos State University (LASU). Details later.