These are still the streets of Lagos, and not the Lekki/Victoria Island/Ikoyi that they always use to depict Lagos. Yes, Fashola is trying, but he needs to do more. His policies these days are becoming too elitist. I wonder why they are all crying foul, about the BBC Documentary. This is the true face of Lagos.

Refuse still decorates the streets, truck pushers everywhere, and beggars still litters the mega city.

This is what adorns the roads of Lagos. Just like the intention of the II Airport, these buses are restricted to a part of Lagos, while the rich at Ikoyi/Lekki/Victoria Island are given a special treatment.

Over crowded rail system, where it is still working.

Swamps of hawkers, every where in Lagos.

Nuisance on the roads of Lagos.

Well, no matter what people say here, the following issues must be attended to before the so-called II Lagos Airport surfaces:

Why would that woman choose Aero of all airlines? Thank GOD Oceanic Bank did not catch her, she would paid all the $200m Aero is owing them

Oboma1:

It is better now. Those days we used to fly Nigeria Airways, Okada Air, and Kabo Air, once the aircraft was taxing towards either take off or after landing, you will sight people farming very close to the runway. In fact, a particular day, some farmers had to wait for our aircraft to land, before they ran across the runway, heading towards their farmlands. That is how porous our airports security systems, are!.

To the security personnel then, they never saw anything wrong in them farming there. I was reliably informed that, those days, FAAN or NAA (as they used to call them then), used to rent those grounds for people to come and farm on, lol!. It was when the era of rating airports that they started curtailing it. As for the woman, I want to believe that, she never did that out of her own volition. There is somebody somewhere or even a cartel, that aided her. Let them investigate the breaches very well, and you will be surprise at what will come out of it.

Kobojunkie:

Oh Goody!!!

I see the thread has once again been taken over by the "INSULT THOSE WHO DO NOT SEE THINGS OUR WAY INTO THE GROUND TO PROVE OUR SIDE IS RIGHT" gang!!! WOOHOO!!!  

Hey posters, everyone is entitled to his/her view, but insults in whatever guise does not portray us to be matured in our way of thinking. If you put your cards on the table, and the other person is not moved by you postulations, then look for another way of convincing or perhaps confusing him/her lol!.

Time to cough out all the cash collected for the protest to the Police for bail! (even though bail in Nigeria is free ).

Ibori: Police Arrest 50 Students Over Protest.
Written by By Ben Dunno And Patrick Ochoga, Benin City
Wednesday, 28 April 2010 20:01


The Police in Delta State have arrested 50 students over damages made in last Tuesday's protest against the manhunt for the former State Governor, Chief James Ibori by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The solidarity rally in support of Chief James Ibori over his manhunt by Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) sponsored by the Pro- Ibori's group in Delta state had painted the state capital red following resistance by another anti- Ibori's group, who accosted them on the way resulting in a free for all.

2A source close to the police told our Correspondent yesterday in Warri that those arrested were mainly undergraduates.

According to our source, the police at Ekpan arrested 30 of the students while the police at Ebrumude and Enerhen arrested 10 each for damages and causing body harm to residents.

The source further disclosed that the arrested students would soon be charged to courts.Meanwhile, the presiding Judges in the Court of Appeal in Benin, Edo State, yesterday in the case of alleged money laundry brought against the embattled former governor of Delta State , James Ibori, by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission(EFCC), declined hearing the matter on the ground that the panel as been constituted is to entertain election matters.

It would be recalled that the anti-graft commission being discontented with an Asaba High Court judgment early this year that quashed the 170 charges leveled against the former governor and fives others however appealed against the judgment.

The case which came up for hearing yesterday was presided over by Justice M.B. Dongban Mensen and four others, in their unanimous decision said they decided to refrain to hear the matter because the panel was originally set up to specifically adjudicate on the fall-out of election tribunal and not on criminal cases.

Dongban Mensen said though Federal Court of Appeal is one nationwide, the panel cannot go beyond their limit of hearing criminal cases as against the original purpose for which it was constituted.

According to her, we agreed that this is a criminal matter. This panel is not set up for criminal matter. The court of appeal is one. We shall refrain from taking this application till a special panel is set up to determine the case. The local panel can hear the case. Criminal matter cannot be taken by the panel. The decision of the judges arose from the objection of the leading counsel to the respondents, Augustine Alegeh who challenged the competence of the panel of judges to entertain the application.

In his submission, he said the case is a criminal matter that ought to have come up in the regular court, wondering why the case was scheduled to take place in the election appeal panel.

"We want to make the following observation that this case is a criminal case that ought to have come up in the regular court. We don't know why we are here tod0ay. This panel supposed to be a special election appeal tribunal and not for criminal cases. It shouldn't be for this panel to hear this case it should be for regular court. A criminal panel is constituted by three- man panel while the election appeal panel is made up of five men", he said.

While objecting to the submission of the counsel to the respondents, Ibrahim Ishiaku, the leading counsel to the appellant said there is only one appeal court, adding that all other things are matter of administrative purposes.

He however stated that the panel is competent to hear the application, stressing that they are only going to make an application and not the substantive case.


http://leadershipnigeria.com/news/headlines/14408-ibori-police-arrest-50-students-over-protest

In fact, if Ibori survives these pool of litigations against him, he should be installed Presido . He would have merited it.

Ibori Wins One, Loses Another
•Panel refuses to hear EFCC appeal •Asaba Court fails to give ex-gov ‘preservative order’
From Kunle Akogun and Senator Iroegbu in Abuja, 04.29.2010
It was a case of win-one, lose one yesterday for embattled former Delta State Governor James Onanefe Ibori.
The move by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to appeal against the decision of the Federal High Court in Asaba to absolve Ibori of all allegations of corrupt practices while in office suffered a setback.


This is because the Court of Appeal in Benin sitting as Electoral Appeal Panel refused to entertain the appeal filed by EFCC against the decision of the Federal High Court, Asaba, which had discharged Ibori of corrupt allegations.
In Asaba, however, the Federal High Court sitting in the city turned down an application for a ‘preservative order’ filed by Ibori to prevent EFCC from arresting him.
While giving his ruling in the oral application brought by Ibori’s lead counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN), Justice Ibrahim Buba said there was no sufficient material before the court to warrant the granting of such an application.


A five-man Electoral Appeal Panel sitting as the appellate court in Benin decided not to hear the EFCC case.
When the matter was called for mention, Ibori counsel, Mr. Augustine Alege (SAN), observed that the case was a criminal matter, which should go before the regular appeal court.
According to him, “we don’t know why we are here because the panel is to hear election petitions. We are not aware of any complaints that would necessitate the hearing of the case by the panel”.


Following his observation, EFCC counsel, Mr. Ibrahim Ishaku, SAN, while urging the court to hear the case, said there was only one Court of Appeal in the country.
“We believe the panel is competent to hear the application. It is only an application, we are not going into the substantive matter yet,” he submitted.


The court in its ruling delivered by the Chairman of the Electoral Panel, Justice M.B. Dongban-Mesen, agreed with the EFCC’s counsel that there was one court of appeal in the country, but quickly concurred with Ibori’s counsel that the matter before the court was a criminal matter.
The court also agreed with Alege’s submission that the case ought to have been taken by the regular Court of Appeal, adding “this panel is not set up for this application”.
Consequently, the court ruled “We shall refrain from taking the application. The application shall be taken by the regular court”.
Justice Mercy Awokulehin of the court had in November 2009 discharged and acquitted Ibori over the 170- count charge brought against him by EFCC for lack of evidence.


Ibori was charged at the Federal High Court, Kaduna in December 2008 but following an application by his counsel, the case was transferred to Asaba division of the court in the state where the alleged offences were committed.
Refusing to grant the preservatory order, Justice Buba said: “It is clear that the order, whether preservative, interim or interlocutory cannot be granted to protect the legal right of the applicant. Therefore, at this stage, without any material before the court with which the court can use without going into the substantive matter to show that the applicant has a legal right and to show that the respondents are acting ultra varies beyond their powers.


“The court will be circumspect to wittingly or unwittingly delve into the substantive matter, therefore, it will be premature at this stage to make any order on the basis of the oral application without materials before the court, therefore, I therefore decline to make a preservative order, and nothing stops the applicant from filing a formal application”.
At the resumed hearing of the matter yesterday, no sooner had Mr. Abubakar Balarabe Mahmud (SAN) announced his appearance for the 1st, 3rd and 4th respondents (Attorney-General of the Federation, Inspector- General of Police and Director, State Security Services) in the matter and pleaded for an adjournment to enable him study the cases, than Daudu (SAN) moved for the oral application for the preservative order.


The atmosphere in the court then suddenly became charged.
Dawodu drew the attention of the judge to what he called covert moves by EFCC and the Federal Government “to get Ibori dead or alive.”
He argued that the rug was about to be pulled from under the feet of the court and that the court could make a preservatory order to protect Ibori from attempted arrest and further harassment by EFCC and other security operatives now that the matter was before the court.
“I am making a strong application, the applicant has been declared wanted, dead or alive, we urge the court to make a preservative order. Section 6 of the 1999 Constitution, it enjoins both parties to submit themselves to the rule of law.

Under the professed rule of law, everybody is equal before the law, a lot has been done to arrest the applicant since the court said we are bound by the undertaking made in this court by EFCC council, I urge my lord to grant an injunction to safe guard the decision of the court. I urge my lord to grant this application, to restrain all the defendants, agents, and servants, whosoever they may ask from attempting to arrest the applicant pending the determination of this matter.”
Daudu could hardly finish with his submission when Mr. Charles Okoroma, counsel to EFCC interjected arguing that the application amounts to shielding Ibori from been arrested, criminal investigation and prosecution, adding that Daudu’s argument “does not hold water because the statutory body be asked or prevented from performing his statutory duties and functions as “no body can be insulated”


He argued that nothing has changed since on the 19th of April to date when then he made the declaration in court that nothing will happen to Ibori and nothing has happened till now, adding that the tactics been employed by the applicant amount to pulling the rug on the fit of the court and urged the court not to grant the order.
In his submission Mahmud opposed that the application for a preservative order, saying that it lack merits adding that, “there is no bases for that order, the issue is not one of safe guarding the jurisdiction of the court.

There is no legal enforceable right called that right against arrest. No body has the right not be arrested, the court can not issue a blanket order not to be arrested,”
He further argued that “section 214 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria recognizes the powers and duties of the police to prevent crime, investigate crime and apprehend offenders, which is applicable to all the generalities of Nigerians”, adding that “the court cannot be asked to prevent or stop this statutory body from performing their duties and functions in the society. It is outside the scope of the jurisdiction of this court.”
He said the best the applicant can do was to go to court to say that his right has been breached and the court is satisfied, he will be entitled to redress, so nobody has the blanket right not to be arrested.


He urged the court not to entertain the application. The case has been adjourned to 10th May for further hearing.
Meanwhile, Ibori’s counsel, Daudu (SAN) has filed a suit restraining the Attorney-General of the Federation, EFCC, Inspector-General of Police and SSS Director from arresting him.
In the suit number FHC/ASB/CS/34/2010 titled: “The Matter of an Application by Chief James Onanefe Ibori for the Enforcement of his Fundamental Rights to Fair Hearing and Personal Liberty under the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules 2009”, was filed at the


Federal High Court Asaba, immediately after Justice I. N. Buba adjourned proceedings on the substantive issue till May 10, 2010.
A statement signed by Ibori’s Media Assistant, Mr. Tony Eluemunor, said the motion was specifically asking for “an order of injunction restraining the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Respondents by
themselves or through their officers, agents, privies and assigns from arresting, harassing and/or intimidate the applicant in any manner whatsoever and howsoever pending the hearing and determination of the applicant’s substantive motion on notice, which has been adjourned for hearing to the 10th of May, 2010 and for such further orders as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances”.


The affidavit in support of the motion signed by Chief Azikiwe Ako (JP) affirmed that he was in court on the 19th of April 2010 when EFCC’s counsel, Mr. Chile Okoronma, on EFCC’s behalf “specifically stated in court that since the service of the court processes, they have not done anything and will not do anything that will make the determination of this matter a fiat accompli” because of which the judge saw no reason to make a preservative order.


Ibori has expressed his gratitude and appreciation to his teaming supporters across the country who he said had rallied to his defence “since this round of political persecution and not legal prosecution against him” began.
He challenged them to always maintain the peace because he is not only a lover of peace, but he has implicit faith in Nigeria’s legal system.

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=172128

Same thread already exist. Check it here: https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-438438.0.html

Why are we fond of duplicating a thread? This is the first and existing thread: https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-438438.0.html

Well, we are still waiting and watching. The truth about this airport project will soon be known to all. That is my take on this.

doyin13:

I am in no way defending the airport building. . . .I think its a misplacement of priorities.

But the bridge is already being built is what I wanted to point out.

I am not against your point dear, I was even in support of providing basic infrastructure that will make life more meaningful. The issue of a forth mainland bridge here has been over flogged, and how near are we to the dream? The same government wants to build another airport for such an amount. Come to think of it, how many people will use that same airport, when a greater percentage of Lagosians lives in the mainland. Go to Alimosho LGA, and water will come out of your eyes. That place is total slum. Lagos should be ashamed of that LGA. Perhaps, he has another interior motive.

Why repeat a topic?

ziga:

I advise that you take your own advice. The 15 million people talk doesn't hold water.

But go see if MMIA caters adequately for the few people that pass through it daily.

And please do not reply that he should upgrade the FG owned international airport.

It is you that is even deviating from the truth here. Does Lagosians really need a N73.3billion airport at this moment? U should have provided answer for this question first before advancing. You need to see the real Lagos, and not well decorated area of it. Watch the BBC documentary again, and you will see some part of Lagos, and not the Victoria Island, Lekki, Ikoyi and the rest that you use to portray Lagos.

doyin13:

I was just about to say too. . . . The bridge is already taking shape

If the roads are good, and every other infrastructure is in place, we might say this man is bereft of ideas, so lets allow him, but Lagos is still far off expectation, so why another airport? Besides, how many people can afford air transportation in Lagos? All these talks about Lagos being 15million plus, does not hold water, as a very minute population can afford air transportation. If he is short of ideas, he should watch the BBC documentary about Lagos again. He will definitely know what to do. The fact that, it is PPP does not mean anything. PPP can provide houses. PPP can provide electricity. PPP can make the rail come back to live etc.

There is no point crying over spilt milk, Ibori has escaped for good. Who is next? Because I know, all anti-Jonathan must be dealt with, whether corrupt or not. Take for example, the corruption charges against PDP Chairman existed since 2001, and Obasanjo did nothing about that, since the man was singing OBJ's song well. Now that they know he committed himself by zoning Presidency to the north, those charges are now brought out, why now?

I think this man is beginning to lose focus. Why not channel the N73billion into the provision of power and repair of so many bad roads in Lagos? This is misplacement of priorities. His policies these days are elitist in nature, and they are not too favourable. I he continues this way, AC might lose this election.

Fashola Shops For N73.3b For Airport
April 28, 2010 15:38 (1 hour ago), 337 views
By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Governor Babatunde Fashola is shopping for N73.3 billion to build the proposed Lagos International Airport and the proposed Lekki-Ikoyi bridge.

The first phase of the airport, to be built in Lekki will cost N43.3 billion while the Lekki-Ikoyi bridge will gulp N30 billion. The two projects, P.M.NEWS gathered, will be undertaken under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative of the Lagos State Government.

The governor is already scouting for investors for the projects, which are meant to make Lagos world class attraction and a haven for tourism.

Director-General, Lagos State PPP Office, Mr. Ayo Gbeleyi disclosed that the airport would be provided with modern architectural design and ”is expected to render services to approximately five million passengers per annum.”

On the Lekki-Ikoyi bridge, the PPP boss said the bridge will link Lekki Phase One to Ikoyi across the lagoon and will decongest traffic on the Lekki-Epe Expressway.


http://thepmnews.com/2010/04/28/fashola-shops-for-n733b-for-airport

Monkey no fine, but him Mama like am. That is the situation here!.

jumobi1:

I give up. The man is dead. they are just rich enough to keep him on life support.

What if he finally recovers?

jimmysho:

no where to hide boy. Charles tailor did and we all know the rest of the story

Ibori's case is more than that of Charles Taylor, but he is well covered than Charles Taylor.

Who is fooling who?

Ibori’s Escape: Govt Shuts Terminals For Private Jets
April 27, 2010 17:05 (4 hours ago), 1,401 views
By Simeon Ateba & Paul Dada

There are indications that the Federal Government has shut down the private jet terminal of the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport.

This action follows reports that some aviation workers assisted former Delta State Governor, James Ibori, to escape from the country.

Ibori is being wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for N44 billion fraud.

Though a source close to a private jet owner told P.M.NEWS that they no longer operate from the private jet terminal, P.M.NEWS observed that some private jets were still operating from NAFIS hangar located between MMA 2 and Arik Air office. Others were seen operating at the Concorde area of the General Aviation Terminal.

•Ibori

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) which regulates the operations of the private jets has denied that some of their staff helped Ibori to escape from Lagos.

Mr. Sam Adurogboye, the Media Assistant to the Director General of NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren, said: “I believe that those who have such information that some of our staff assisted anybody to escape know what to do.”

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) also said that it was not aware of any movement of a private jet at the Lagos Airport.

FAAN GM, Mr. Akin Olukunle said, “we are not aware of anything like that. And it is not possible because our operations are regulated. There is no way the regulators would have given anybody licence to engage in an international flight through GAT. The terminal operates only local flights. From our record there is nothing like that.

“All movements of private jets are carefully documented. From our record there is nothing to show that James Ibori landed or took off from the Lagos airport even if he was declared wanted by the EFCC.”

Ibori, since he left office as governor three years ago, has been in the eye of the storm with the huge weight of allegations of corruption levelled against him. But the former Delta State governor did not see any reason to flee until now.

However, the EFCC had to issue a fresh statement signed by Femi Babafemi, its Head of Media and Publicity, that Ibori was wanted in connection with investigations into allegation of official corruption and money laundering. Subsequently, a court warrant was issued for his arrest.

The EFCC was acting on a petition sent to it by a group of Delta State leaders and elders headed by Chief Edwin Clark, a former Minister of Information.

The petition claimed that Ibori used 800 million units of shares belonging to Delta State in Oceanic Bank Plc to secure a N44 billion private loan from Intercontinental Bank Plc while he was still governor.

He is also being alleged to have used the 800 million units of shares to acquire Ascot Oil, and American Oil service company whose headquarters is in Port Harcourt.

The petitioners said not less than 520 million out of the 800 million units of shares were sold under questionable circumstances.

But Ibori, rather than make himself available for investigations by the EFCC, is believed to have been hiding.

His media assistant Tony Eluemunor, however, denied that Ibori was invited by the EFCC.

http://www.nigeriamasterweb.com/paperfrmes.html

Let us not be deceived any longer, both the IG's office and EFCC knows how Ibori escaped. They wrote the script out for him.

Let us not be deceived any longer, both the IG's office, and EFCC, both knows how Ibori escaped. They wrote the script out for him.