₦airaland Forum

Jaybuoy:
This was what I was referring to on another thread and some people were throwing insults like the illiterates they are.

Israel left themselves too open this time. And it wasn't on purpose, like I've seen some people insinuating. No responsible government wants to see its citizens die this way, if they can do something about it.

Hamas knows this, and will hang on to those kidnapped Israelis as leverage.

Waterysperm:
Hamas go hear am loud. Israel is taking over the whole of Gaza.

Bankers protest sack of colleagues


Bankers protest sack of colleagues
Bankers protest sack of colleagues
The Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance, and Financial Institutions, ASSBIFI, has threatened to deploy all its networks and contacts to mobilise affiliate trade unions and Nigerian workers against the management of Heritage Bank Plc., over the un-procedural sack of members.

A senior official of the bank, who spoke on condition of anonymity, simply said: “I do not want to talk about the issue.”

However, at a briefing, as part of its activities marking the World Decent Work Day, recalled that since May 30 members of the union, including an official, were sacked by the bank without benefits or any reason.

President of ASSBIFI, Olusoji Oluwole, lamented the frustration of ASSBIFI trying to amicably settle the myriad of unfair labour practices that the management of Heritage Bank had continually perpetrated on vulnerable Nigerian workers.

Among others, he said “The Management of Heritage Bank disengaged over 30 members of ASSBIFI, including a Principal National Officer of the Association in May, 2023 without due process.

This action was condemned by ASSBIFI as an outright violation of Section 20 of the Labour Act, Cap L1, LFN 2004, the ASSBIFI Industry Wide Collective Agreement, and the ILO Convention 158 on Termination of Employment, which specifically provided that “the employment of a worker shall not be terminated unless there is a valid reason for such termination”.

This has been rightly recognized by the National Industrial Court (NIC), and we abide by it.
As the Statutory Representative of Senior Employees in the Nigeria Financial Sector, and in line with our policy on social dialogue, ASSBIFI engaged the Management of Heritage Bank on several occasions to demand justice for the vulnerable Nigerian workers’ whose employment was wrongfully terminated.

“The Management insisted on terminating the workers based on their company policy, without negotiation or dialogue with the Union as provided by law.

ASSBIFI requested the Management of the Bank to supply the Company Policy and Details of the claimed payments and settlements of the severance benefits paid to the disengaged Employees. Over three months after this request, the Management has not been able to produce its own acclaimed documents.

“The employees have severally served the bank for periods covering between five and 25 years, and without any tangible or valid reasons, Heritage Bank asked the workers to go home empty-handed. This is exploitation and injustice of the worst order.”

“We are not unaware of recent publications that have put the health of the Bank into question which we had initially ignored. However, we are now forced to assume that the Management of Heritage Bank is telling the General Public that the Bank does not have the Financial Capacity to settle the entitlements of its employees.

“It also speaks volumes about the safety of several Nigerian workers in affiliated unions who have their salaries paid into this Bank.

After several unproductive engagements with management representatives who either had no mandate to make concrete decisions, or those with the requisite mandate but did not have genuine motives and continued to frustrate every effort to resolve this matter in an amicable and decent way, we have called this conference to sensitize and inform you and the general public of the continued suffering of our members due to the Injustice being meted out on them by the management of Heritage Bank.

“ASSBIFI shall deploy all its Networks and Contacts to Mobilize affiliate trade unions and Nigerian workers towards protecting the rights and privileges of our members in this institution.

“Heritage Bank has an opportunity to address our concerns and we hope they will take advantage of the little time left to do what is right by toeing the path of organizations that have made their institutions great places to work.

Sunday Igboho regains freedom in Benin after two years

Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, better known as Sunday Igboho, has regained his freedom from the Beninese authorities.

The embattled agitator said on Sunday he was now legally free to leave Cotonou, capital of the Benin Republic, to Nigeria and other countries.

“I am now free to return to Nigeria and visit any country in the world. I have fulfilled all the legal conditions attached to my bail a few years back and I am coming home to Nigeria, my country of origin, any moment from now.

“I can confirm to you that I am now free to come back to Nigeria. There is no legal encumbrance again. Even though I have been living in Cotonou for some time, I can confirm to you categorically that I have now secured the liberty to leave Cotonou for Nigeria,” Adeyemo told the Nigerian Tribune on Sunday.

He regained freedom after two years of trial by the Beninese government.

The PUNCH reports that Adeyemo stirred the hornet’s nest when he declared the Yoruba Nation’s sovereignty in March 2021.

He started a campaign to chase killer herdsmen and kidnappers out of the South-West states and went on to call on Yoruba in Hausa/Fulani or Igbo territories to return home.

He, however, fled Nigeria in July 2021 following a nocturnal invasion of his Ibadan residence by the operatives of the Department of State Services.

The attack led to at least one death, while some of his belongings were vandalised.

The DSS claimed that seven AK-47 rifles, pump-action guns, and 5,000 rounds of ammunition, charms and other weapons were recovered from his apartment during the invasion.

The judgment was later set aside by the Court of Appeal in August 2022.

He was later arrested at the Cardinal Bernardin International Airport in Cotonou, Benin Republic while attempting to flee to Germany.

Attempts by the former President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to repatriate him to Nigeria were unsuccessful.

The Lagos State Governor on Sunday ordered the demolition of Jankara and Bombata markets in Lagos Island to allow for the free flow of water into the drains.

“There will be zero-tolerance and from Monday, the Ministry of Environment will start giving demolition notices to all the stores that have been built on the drains and all existing drains.

“They have built shops on all the drains and that is why we are having these problems of flooding and environmental pollution.

“We cannot let a few people risk the lives of the larger number of us,’’ Sanwo-Olu said after a drainage and regeneration tour of Lagos Island.

He noted that a lot of illegal structures erected in the markets had blocked the drainage channels causing flooding, adding that human activities had negatively impacted the areas.

He stressed that the markets must give way to allow for urban regeneration and to end perennial flooding in the area.

The governor told all illegal squatters and those involved in illegal activities that the government would take and clean up the markets as it enforced its zero tolerance for illegal environmental activities.

Sanwo-Olu also observed that Pelewura Market was currently harbouring a large number of illegal squatters.

“We are going to give them adequate notice and we are going to work with our concessionaires, the local government, and all the stakeholders will be brought on board.

“We will all agree as to when that demolition and evacuation will start. I have given them the first notice already and I will give them the opportunity as stakeholders, for us to know when that final demolition will take place,’’ Sanwo-Olu said.

The governor noted also that Idumagbo Avenue Road which was once well-built had failed because of activities in markets in the area.

He affirmed that the tour offered him the opportunity to establish what the issues were and to evolve lasting solutions to them.

He said the solution would begin from Ilubinrin Pump Station as the government had been on the project for almost two years because of the depth of work to be done.

He explained that the government would start an assessment of Idumagbo Avenue, Ojo Giwa, and Adeniji Adele Road.

“It will be an opportunity for us to review Phase 2 of Adeniji Adele, which starts from Idumagbo Junction, all the way to Ebute Ero.

“That will be a long-term regeneration of the entire area and with this coming up early next year, we will solve the entire drainage issues of the place,’’ Sanwo-Olu said.

He cautioned residents of the areas against blocking the drains, noting that their way of life and behaviour contributed to the problem.

According to him, no matter how deep the drains are, they will get blocked if people continue to dump refuse in them.

NAN

DrGoodman:
Over here in ibadan, we're still buying fuel for 87 naira and dollars for 216 naira, the only people suffering are Obidients who voted for Peter Obi

DrGoodman:
Oga, stop smoking naira marley hemp, try Seun kuti own, he's still buying from his father's supplier.

Guyman01:
Better than printing forms and going from one beer parlour to another distributing leaflets about a never ending construction of deaf and dumb school and asking for donations

Senate to fast-track passage of new Minimum Wage Bill


The Senate on Friday, October 6, said it would give the proposed new minimum wage bill from the Executive arm of government expeditious consideration towards ensuring improved welfare for Nigerian workers and industrial harmony in the country.


The Chairman Senate Committee on Employment, Labour, and Productivity, Senator Diket Plang (APC – Plateau Central), disclosed this in a statement in Abuja.

Senator Plang assured Nigerians that the 10th Senate and by extension, the 10th National Assembly, is committed to improving the living conditions of workers in the country and tackling poverty.

He said: “Efforts of the Federal Government and the Organized Labour for agreeing to set in motion necessary machinery to review the current Minimum Wage in Nigeria as contained in the memorandum of understanding signed by the negotiating parties are commendable.

“The Senate Committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity under my chairmanship, is prepared to give expeditious attention to the passage of a new Act, once negotiation on the matter is concluded and such bill transmitted to the National Assembly for enactment.”

He commended the Federal Government on the proactive actions taken to avert a nationwide strike last week Tuesday but warned parties involved, not to renege on agreements reached.

He said: “Nigerians and particularly members of this committee, are happy that the then looming industrial unrest, was averted following a Memorandum of Understanding entered into by the Federal Government, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

“However, all the parties involved should avoid reneging on any of the agreements reached.”

The committee, he added, is committed to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) principle of decent work and will take necessary legislative action to support efforts that will improve the working conditions of Nigerian workers including payment of living wage as enshrined in the decent work agenda.

LASBCA vows to demolish buildings without permit


The Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Building Control Agency, has taken a firm stance on demolishing buildings that lack the necessary building plan permits.

The agency’s General Manager, Gbolahan Oki, made this vow during a press briefing with journalists on Friday.

He said, “My duty is for any property without a building plan approval, of which I would have to serve all the necessary notices, and once these notices are served without anyone providing a document to that effect, it means that property is an illegal structure.

“This issue has been going on around Ogombo, Eti-Osa area of the state in the last 5 years, and I have been on it for one and a half year. Hence, we are doing the needful by removing the illegal structures because the government must perform their duty.”

So This Happened (221) Reviews Recent Naira Fall, Tuition...
Speaking on the demolition of some of the properties located at Ogombo, the LABSCA boss said most of the structures were shanties.

“80-90 per cent are shanties and between 5 – 10 structures at Ogombo are without building plan approval,” he noted.

While decrying the issue of land grabbers disturbing government officials in doing their job at Ogombo, Eti-Osa area of the state, he noted that irrespective of the notices, the land grabbers had continued to build on the land owned by the state government and meant for housing.

He declared, “We have been on Ogombo, Eti-Osa area of the state for over 5 – 10 years. It is a land owned by the state government and meant for housing.

“The land grabbers keep going there to disturb the government officials, sell the lands, and continue to build on those lands meant for the state government, some even come with a fake Certificate of Occupancy.

“We have to stop this act and note that land grabbers are not bigger than the government or the people and we really need to curb them.”

Oki, thereafter, urged that proper due diligence process be conducted before a property is bought.

“When due diligence is conducted, the legal practitioner involved in documenting the agreement would be able to decipher the status of the property,” he concluded.

Alleged EFCC raids: Lagos bizman contemplates suicide over N168m debt

They are not our operatives – EFCC declares


Chief Executive Officer of Lakers Lounge Hotel and Bar, Ikorodu, Lagos State, Oladimeji Ogunfolaju, has raised the alarm over constant raids of his hotel by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC , an action he said had paralysed his business and made him incur N168 million debt.

At the moment, Ogunfolaju said he was contemplating suicide over his inability to pay back loans he collected from the bank to run his hotel business.

The operatives as gathered, alleged that some internet fraudsters, otherwise called yahoo boys patronised the hotel and bar .

Narrating his ordeal to Saturday Vanguard, yesterday in Lagos ,Ogunfolaju , alleged that the EFCC operatives who claimed to have come from Abuja and Oyo state ,raided his hotel on three different occasions and arrested his employees and customers.

The latest raid, according to him, occurred on June 3,2023. He said , “ The June 3,2023 raid at Club Lakers, Ikorodu, was led by one SP Chris Odofin, from Abuja ,with a combined team from Ibadan, Oyo State.

The operatives arrested no fewer than 100 persons who were barmen, bouncers, chefs, waitresses and customers, among others and took them to Abuja. I spent millions of naira securing their release and bringing them back to Lagos.

“ The anti-graft agency first raided my business premises sometime in 2020 and the implication of the raid adversely affected my business. I was still struggling to overcome the challenge and financial losses incurred when the second raid happened in 2022.

“I have lost about N1 Billion in revenue due to these incessant raids by EFCC and other security operatives. I am in a serious financial crisis and customers no longer place trust in us in terms of their safety, they stopped coming to the business premises for patronage.”

Lamenting further, he said , “ I applied for a N168 million loan and was servicing the loan after the first raid when EFCC operatives raided the premises again in 2022. The raid brought colossal damage to my finances and I have not been able to service the loan which has accrued interests.

“The constant raids have soiled the image we have built over the years. I contemplated suicide because the thought of the loan repayment has been affecting me. The EFCC did injustice to me and my business, I am hurt.

“The most painful aspect is that the EFCC, despite identifying the officers, particularly one who led the illegal raid, have refused to be accountable. I want justice and compensation and I want President Bola Tinubu to curtail the excesses of the EFCC”., he appealed.

However , when the spokesman for the EFCC, Mr Dele Oyewale was contacted, he expressed doubt over the authenticity of identities of those who raided the hotel as EFCC operatives. .

He said , “ They are not EFCC operatives because EFCC operatives will not behave that way. We have a standard procedure of operation. But If he has proof , he should approach the EFCC by writing a petition to that effect and the matter will be addressed”.

Court issues reproduction warrant for Naira Marley


A Federal high court sitting in Lagos has ordered that a reproduction warrant should be issued for Azeez Fashola a.k.a. Naira Marley to enable him to attend trial in the alleged case of fraud filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The presiding Judge, Nicholas Oweibo, issued the order sequel to the submission of counsel to the musician, Barrister Olalekan Ojo SAN, when the case was mentioned and the defendant was discovered not to be in court on Friday.

Ojo informed the court, that Naira Marley was unavoidably absent because he was detained after he voluntarily surrendered himself to the police for interrogation in connection with the death of another late musician, Ifeoluwa Aloba a.k.a. Mobadh.

The lawyer then urged the court to issue a reproduction warrant for the defendant to be produced in court in the next adjourned day.


Counsel to EFCC Bilikisu Buhari confirmed that indeed, the defendant is in Police custody and did not oppose the request made by the defence counsel.

Consequently, Justice Oweibo, while adjourning the trial to 30th of October, 2023 ordered that a reproduction warrant should be issued for Naira Marley to be produced in court if he is still in police custody then.

Naira Marley is standing trial before the court on cybercrime-related offences.

In the charge filed before the court by the EFCC, it was alleged that Azeez Adeshina Fashola, aka Naira Marley, and Raze (still at large), on or about the 11th day of December 2018, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst themselves to use Access card 42658840359191132 issued to persons other than him in a bid to obtain gain and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27(1)(b) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015 and punishable under Section 33(2) of the Same Act.

It was also alleged that Azeez Adeshina Fashola, aka Naira Marley, and Raze (still at large), on or about the 10th day of May 2019, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud possessed, counterfeit card 4921819410257431 issued to one Timea Fedorne Tatar and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 33(9) of Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act.

NNPC GMD quietly awards control of Nigeria’s pipelines to Northern oil ‘cabal'

Industry professionals criticised the contract award, asserting it was too much power for any retail business to wield over the nation.


Mele Kyari, Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited has stealthily awarded juicy rehabilitation contracts of the nation’s pipelines to four oil companies that include two downstream retailers, a move that is tantamount to handing the retailers control of the pipelines at the risk of exploiting other retail outlets and Nigerians at large.

Oilserv Limited, A.A RANO Nigeria Limited, Macready Oil & Gas Service Company Limited, and MRS Oil Nigeria Plc were the four companies awarded the lucrative contracts of maintaining the country’s pipelines to fast track the flow of crude oil to refineries and transport its byproducts back to the country.

Speculations are rife that the Northern cabal is still in charge of the nation’s petroleum sector, despite Muhammadu Buhari’s nepotistic presidency having ended since May, because A.A.Rano Nigeria Limited and MRS Oil Nigeria Plc, two retail businesses owned by two northerners, Auwalu Rano and Sayyu Dantata, respectively, got the highly coveted contracts.

The NNPC GMD has frequently given the two aforementioned businesses, which are mostly merchants of petroleum products, preferential treatment. One such instance was in 2021 when they were both selected for the crude-for-fuel swap contracts to cater to the nation’s motor and jet fuel needs.

But the latest pipeline contracts awarded to the two companies are validating speculations that the Northern cabal is still very much active even after Mr Buhari’s exit.

The contracts were issued on a LOT basis, with MRS Oil securing the juiciest and LOT 4, that oversees depots in the South-West comprising Mosimi–Ore Products Pipeline (151.3km), Ibadan depot, Ilorin depot, Ibadan-Ilorin Products Pipeline (168.9km), Atlas Cove–Mosimi/Satellite Products Pipeline (72.8km), Mosimi depot, Mosimi–Ibadan Products Pipeline (79.1km), Atlas Cove depot and Satellite depot.

A.A Rano won the bid for LOT 2, which gives the retail outlet control of the South-South region, and comprises the Escravos–Warri Crude Oil Pipeline (60km), Warri-Benin Products Pipeline (90km), Benin-Ore Products Pipeline (110km), Warri Depot, Benin Depot and Ore Depot.

Critics say the move was another means for the North to maintain its tight grip on power because it gives them the ability to decide the fate of Nigerians, especially in the event of a supply crisis or shortage, choosing to serve themselves first, fix the market price, handpick their favourite retail outlets to dispense fuel and shun those not in their good graces, regardless of the implications, which include regions of the country not getting enough fuel.

Industry professionals criticised the contract award, asserting it was too much power for any retail business to wield over the nation and that it would inevitably backfire sooner or later.

Kelvin Atafiri, CEO of Cavazanni Human Capital Limited, confirmed the fears of Nigerians that MRS Oil now exerts a significant influence in the nation’s South-West region where it can decide not to serve dissenting outlets with fuel and fix a price citizens will pay through the nose to purchase.

“LOT 4 is a fairly well-developed market with NNPC already incurring the capital cost for infrastructure before transferring to the preferred winner. From a competitive point of view, it gives the winner an advantage compared to others,” Mr Atafiri told Business Day.

The hushed manner in which the contracts were given out further cemented claims that the cabal was still conducting its usual operations, albeit in stealth.

NNPC, in 2022, publicly defended its decision to pay N48 billion to ex-militant Government Ekpemupolo, popularly called Tompolo, to protect the nation’s pipeline from vandals over a 24 month period but has so far remained silent on the awarding of pipeline contracts to A.A. Rano and MRS Oil.

The State House did not immediately respond to enquiry as to whether President Bola Tinubu, who serves as the nation’s petroleum minister, was aware of the hushed contracts that were being cornered by A.A. Rano and MRS Oil.

Mr Kyari, the NNPC boss, did not return comments as well on the matter.

Tinubu’s Certificate Saga: Atiku Rallies Obi, Kwankwaso, Nigerians For ‘Justice’

While the school had released the certificate to Atiku's team, the former vice president who is challenging Tinubu's election, called on Obi, Kwankwaso, and other Nigerians to join his quest for "justice" over the matter.


Atiku Abubakar has called on Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)’s Rabiu Kwankwaso to join his quest for “justice” in the certificate saga involving President Bola Tinubu.

Atiku, who was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, had requested the release of President Tinubu’s certificate from the Chicago State University over the suspicion that the certificate the former Lagos State governor submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may not be authentic.

While the school had released the certificate to Atiku’s team, the former vice president who is challenging Tinubu’s election, called on Obi, Kwankwaso, and other Nigerians to join his quest for “justice” over the matter.

“This quest is not for or about Atiku Abubakar. It is a quest for the enthronement of truth, morality, and accountability in our public affairs. In line with this, therefore, I am calling on all well-meaning Nigerians, leaders of thought, our religious leaders, our traditional leaders, our community leaders, our political leaders, and in particular, Governor Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP and, the leaders of every political party in Nigeria, and, indeed, every single person who loves this country, as I do, and who wishes nothing but the best for the country, as I do, to join me in this campaign to enshrine probity, accountability and the basic principles of justice, morality and uprightness in our country and in our government,” he said during a press conference in Abuja on Thursday. “This is a task for each and every one of us.”


Drop Fight?
While Tinubu and his supporters have repeatedly denied the accusations, Atiku says he would continue to seek justice over the matter.

“Immediately after the elections, I was told there was a delegation of governors who claimed they were sent by the president, and I did not even allow them to get into my house – I didn’t,” Atiku added.

“I will only drop the fight when the court rules. If the court rules that I am right, fine. If the court rules that he is right, fine. So that’s the end of the fight, because, at the moment, we are the Supreme Court, and there is no other higher court than the Supreme Court.”

Senate orders investigation into incarceration of 250 Nigerians in Ethiopian prisons


The 250 Nigerians are reportedly facing inhumanity and maltreatment in the East African country.



The Senate on Wednesday directed its Committees on Diaspora and Foreign Affairs to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incarceration of 250 Nigerians in the Republic of Ethiopia.

The Senate also mandated the committees to report their findings back to the Senate within two weeks.

This is sequel to a motion moved by the Senate Minority Leader, Simon Mwadkwon, at the plenary on Wednesday.

A report by one Paul Ezekiel has been circulating on the internet that over 250 Nigerians are facing maltreatment in Ethiopia without committing any offence.

Some Nigerians have taken to the social media calling on the federal government to intervene in the illegal incarceration of the people by the Ethiopian government.

Mr Mwadkwon while presenting his motion during the plenary stressed that the social media report is disturbing because it has no legal basis in the provision of international courts which Nigeria and Ethiopia are signatories to.

“Based on the sovereignty of this country and the sanctity of lives and properties of all Nigerians all over the world as captured in the Nigerian constitution especially section 33, 34 and 35 of the 1999 constitution as amended which have similar provisions in order international courts, instruments and convention which the Nigerian and the Ethiopian are signatories to. There is no justification whatsoever for taking away the dignity of any person let alone taking away the life of a citizen.

“The Senate it’s pathetic that a nation as populous as Nigeria, its citizens are being held in captivity in the 21st century where the call is for unity but Ethiopia has chosen a shallow part to maltreat citizens of Nigeria without any justification as shown in the video,” he said.

The minority leader urged the Senate to immediately intervene in the crisis and conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the imprisonments.

When the motion was thrown to debate, majority of the senators supported it.

Mohammed Mongunu (Borno North) who seconded the motion stressed that the major function of a government is to protect lives and properties of its citizens.

“Our diplomatic cornerstone is supposed to be citizen-driven diplomacy. Nigerians, wherever they are should be the centrepiece of our diplomatic relation, they should be citizen-centered because even our constitution gives primacy to the protection of lives and properties and that is the essence of government.

“Any government that fails or neglects to perform that primary duty for protecting the lives and interest of its citizens, that government should not last a minute, not longer than action which is necessary,” Mr Mongunu said.

Titus Zam (Benue North-west) called on the Nigerian government to liaise with the Ethiopian embassy and find a way to secure the freedom of Nigerians serving jail terms in the Ethiopian maximum prison.

“It touches on the fundamental rights of Nigerians both at home and diaspora. Though we are not properly educated about the nature of offences or crimes committed by Nigerians who are on the death list in Ethiopia, I think humanity requires us to seek to protect any Nigerian wherever they are.

“I support that urgent steps be taken in liaison with the Ethiopian embassy in Nigeria to find ways of resolving this matter without sacrificing any single Nigerian in spite of whatever the situation might be over there.”

Others who contributed to the motion are Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central), Sumaila Kala (Bauchi North) and Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto South).

Discrimination
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, in his remarks after directing the Senate committees to investigate the issue, also condemned discrimination of Nigerians in other countries.

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He urged relevant authorities to take the issue of Nigerians in diaspora seriously.

“The life of every Nigerian matters a lot and I also use this opportunity to urge the relevant authorities of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to take the lives of Nigerians very seriously both in Nigeria and in the diaspora.

“I am aware that many Nigerians are suffering discrimination in places like South Africa and some of the countries have even stopped receiving green passports, saying that they cannot use the green passports to enter their countries and some of those countries are not even up to the size of Enugu State.

“I think it is important that while looking at this issue, we should also take steps to re-establish the authorities of Nigeria, the largest black country in the world.”

FRSC considers relocation over LASTMA, driver clash, LG counts losses


The Lagos State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps has said that the agency might exit its current office at the Isolo Local Council Development Area Office building in Okota, Lagos.

This is following the attack on the FRSC office by a mob on Tuesday morning.

It was learnt that the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, the FRSC, and Vehicle Inspection Officers among other agencies make use of the LCDA building, making them vulnerable to attacks by the mob.

PUNCH Metro reported on Tuesday that angry youths from Ago Palace in Okota razed facilities at the LCDA office leaving several vehicles belonging to the council damaged. The FRSC office rooms and other property were also damaged.

The youths were protesting the death of two persons during a scuffle involving LASTMA officials, a policeman and a driver in the area.

The Lagos Sector Commander, FRSC, Babatunde Farinloye, in an interview with PUNCH Metro after the incident, said such incidents had been happening before now.

“I have written a letter to the Department of State Services and they have not done anything about it. I have told the Commissioner of Police that the activities of the LASTMA people and task force are attracting attacks. Maybe with time, we may have to look for another office, either they move out or we move out,” Farinloye said.

“(Some) people don’t know the difference between the Road Safety and LASTMA. For any small thing, they would say it is Road Safety officials and they start attacking the officers or our facilities,” Babatunde added.

LASTMA spokesperson, Adebayo Taofiq, has not responded to a message from our correspondent seeking the agency’s reaction as of press time.

But when contacted, the Isolo LCDA lamented property loss to the Tuesday mob action, adding that steps had been taken to avert such occurrences in the future.

“The Tuesday incident was unpalatable to us as a government. The Chairman, Bayo Olasoju, upon visiting the scene, has taken steps towards averting such happenings in the future. He’s tackling it headlong.

“We are collaborating with relevant agencies for a thorough investigation and necessary action will follow,” Rasheed Iskilu, the Chief Press Secretary to the council chairman said in a statement sent to our correspondent.

Army court-martials Major General for stealing $1,476,200


A Special Court Martial set up by the Nigerian Army has found the former Group Managing Director and Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Army Properties Limited, Major General Umar Muazu Mohammed guilty of 14 of 18 count charges which are all contrary to service laws.

The charges include stealing, forgery, conspiracy, Theft, and Unauthorized diversion of Army property among others and they are all subject to service discipline.

Among the charges was the collection of a sum of $1.045,400 paid by shipping companies for the use of Nigerian Army Jetty located at no 6 Marina, Victoria Island, Lagos

Major General UM Mohammed was also found guilty of a theft of $430.800 being monies paid into Nigerian Army Domiciliary account at Unity Bank, Abuja for use of Nigerian Army Jetty, Marina, VI, Lagos

Furthermore, Major Gen Mohammed was found guilty of withdrawing and confiscating the sum of N74million out of N75million paid for a property belonging to the Nigerian Army at Ikoyi, Lagos.

The general was however found not guilty on allegations that he sold Army property worth N200million in Lagos as well as stole the sum of another N750million out of the sum of N2.5billion secured from banks as well as contribution from subscribers for a Army housing estate in Asokoro, Abuja

He was also not found guilty of charges of forging a Deed of Agreement document pursuant to confiscating another Army property in Lagos.

The Special Court Martial with Major General Kames Myam as President, has seven (7) other Major Generals as members and a Brigadier General as Judge Advocate and it is expected to read out its sentences for the accused by Tuesday next week.

During the court martial, Major General UM Mohammed was brought into the court in a wheel chair but President of the court, Major Gen Myan said all neccesary medical checks were carried out on the accused and all proved that he was fit to stand trial.

Lead counsel for the prosecution was Col BA Oguntayo (Rtd) while Lead counsel for the Defence was Olalekan Ojo, SAN.

Residents Kick Against Lagos Assembly Speaker, Obasa And Allies’ Move To Build Petrol Station Close To Residential Houses



The residents, who had written petitions to the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development in 2018 and 2019, argued that the filling station would pose safety and health threats to the community.

Residents of Irawo Osan, Omotayo and Idowu Layemo in Ketu-Alapere area of Lagos State have kicked against an alleged move by the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa and his allies to build a petrol filling station close to residential houses.

The residents reportedly made their decision to object to the building of the petrol station by the Speaker and his allies, known at a meeting between them and Obasa’s representative, Hakeem Olusola Sokunle, a member of the State House of Assembly representing Oshodi-Isolo Constituency 1.

The residents, who had written petitions to the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development in 2018 and 2019, argued that the filling station would pose safety and health threats to the community.

According to them, there is already a gas station and two petrol stations in the community.

SaharaReporters gathered that the project was started by a member of the State House of Assembly representing Shomolu Constituency 1, Rotimi Olowo, but was stiffly resisted by the residents. It was however reportedly sold to the Speaker.

The residents during the meeting stressed that having another filling station in the area will not only contravene environmental and urban and town planning laws, it will also pose a threat to the community.

Lekan Seriki, who is the son of Alhaji Seriki, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who resides in the neighbourhood with his father, also kicked against the construction saying, “The matter should be laid to rest as it contravenes the Urban and Town Planning Law and our decision is binding.”

"There are filling stations around here already. The project site is situated between Doyin Omololu and Irawo Osan Street. There is a gas plant on Doyin Omololu with just a building (car wash) between it and the gas plant.

"There is a G&G fuel station five buildings before the proposed site. There is another fuel station just after Biola bus stop which also has a gas plant some 100 meters away from it," one of the residents said.

Another resident urged Obasa to listen to the people and not impose the construction of the filling station on the community.

"It can be used for a shopping mall or a banking hall and it can also be used for some other things. This is our main point. There are filling stations around, citing another filling station here is dangerous for the people in a situation of a fire accident," he said.

The residents pointed out that based on the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) guidelines, 2015, for approval to construct and operate petrol station, the total number of petrol stations expected to be within a 2 km stretch on both sides of the road should not be more than four including the one under consideration; and the distance between an existing station and the proposed one should not be less than 400 meters.

The residents had in one of their petitions noted: “The proposed filling station is right beside a residential building that already has a gas retail station behind it. In addition, there are already two existing petrol filling stations within one hundred and twenty (120) metres radius of each other between Biola Bus Stop and around Oba Nle Aro bus stop on the same Demurin road where the prospective one is sought to be built.

“We know, by consultation with experts, that two filling stations are never lawfully allowed within less than one hundred (100) metres of each other in a residential area.

“The prospective entrepreneur wishes in contravention of the law and regulation to proceed with the gravely risky filling station construction on a property abutting a single lane road dovetailing into our three streets.”

When contacted for comments on the issue, the Speaker, Obasa did not answer calls made to his phone number nor reply to a text message sent to him even though the message was delivered.