₦airaland Forum

The police in Ogun State and suspected cultists yesterday engaged in a shootout in Abeokuta, the state capital, in which two people died.

A cult kingpin, Matasaka, was on Sunday night gunned down in the state capital in a renewed rival cult clash. His death led to reprisal attacks in some parts of the state capital on Monday night, leading to two deaths.

Our correspondent gathered that the victims, who were suspected to be members of a cult group, were gunned down in front of a popular petrol station at Ijaiye area of the state capital by a rival cult group.

Daily Trust reports that at least 20 people have been killed in cult clashes across the state in the last two months.

But the clash took a new turn on Tuesday when the cultists engaged the police in a gun battle.

The incident paralysed commercial activities in the area as residents and motorists abandoned their vehicles and scampered.

It was gathered that the policemen, who had stormed the area to bring the situation under control, were attacked by the hoodlums which led to the shootout.

The state’s police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, in a statement, confirmed the clash and hinted that six members of the dreaded rival cult groups, Eiye and Aiye, had been arrested.

According to him, the suspects arrested are: Kazeem Ogundairo a.k.a NEPA, Nasiru Idris a.k.a Aloma, Ayo Joshua a.k.a Terry G, Damilare Shogbamu a.k.a Dhray, Bisiriyu Ibrahim Owoyele and Labulo Jamiu a.k.a J Boy.

The Trade Union Congress, Ogun State Chapter has appealed to Governor Dapo Abiodun to pay the N68bn pension gratuities owned by the state government.

Comrade Akeem Lasisi made the appeal in an address to mark the 2022 Workers Day on Sunday in Abeokuta.

Pensioners had on Thursday converged on the Union’s Secretariat in Abeokuta to organize a one-day special prayer against unknown evil forces preventing the Governor from paying them their entitlements.

Some of the demands of the pensioners were an increase in the pensioners’ monthly take home; increase in the quarterly release of gratuity from N500m to N1bn; release of deducted contributory pensions to their respective pension fund administrators, as well as the constitution of the Pensions Committee which will administer the affairs of their union.

Lasisi while addressing workers in the state at the MKO Abiola Stadium urged the state Governor to increase the quarterly release of N500m.

“Do everything possible to increase the quarterly release of N500 million to clear the backlog of gratuities for the State Pensioners. If the past government had started the remission of N500million quarterly as being done by your government, the backlog might have been either completely offset or minimally reduced by now. So, we commend your government for being humane, but we seek an upward review of the amount so remitted quarterly.”

The TUC Chairman commended Governor Abiodun for infrastructural development and provision of public bus, describing the initiatives as worker-friendly.

“He has excelled where the provision of public infrastructures, vis-à-vis road construction, the recently launched pilot scheme of public rapid bus transportation system, and sundry worker-friendly initiatives, moves and policies are concerned.

“Yes, kudos must be given to the government for releasing the promotion letters for the 2018 and 2019 promotion exercise of all Ministries, Departments and Agencies against the old practice hereby some sectors, most especially the teaching sector would be considered last or not even considered at all in the scheme of things. This indicated you are conscious of the fact that promotion exercises are statutory rights of workers

“The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria wishes to appreciate His Excellency for the upward review of the budgetary allocation to car refurbishment and motorcycle loans for senior and junior civil servants from N100,000 to N200,000 and N40,000 to N80,000 respectively. This new piece of cheering news was transmitted to all concerned MDAs in a circular dated 22nd April, 2022. In spite of the downturn in the economy, our Governor has decided to be fair and just. We say a loud thank you sir.”

“Labour is not unaware that the global economy, and in particular that of Nigeria has suffered some blows since the COVID-19 pandemic broke and the associated recession all of which have affected funds available to governments. In fact, the state government is commended for keeping faith with the state workforce even in the face of the hard bitting economic recession by not downsizing nor embarking on salary cuts as done in other states as that would have thrown many breadwinners out of jobs, and their children thereby facing untold hardships.”

Nine members of a notorious kidnap syndicate terrorizing Abeokuta Ayetoro road in recent time were on Sunday April 24th arrested in their hideout at Abule oba, off Ayetoro road Abeokuta by men of Ogun state Police Command, in collaboration with local hunters, so safe corps, OPC, vigilante and men of Amotekun corps.

The suspects identified as Hammed Taiwo, Kehinde Jimoh, Umar Sanda, Sanda Aliu, Ali Morandu, Usman Abubakar, Usman Mohammed, Umaru Ahmadu and Umaru Momodu were arrested, following a credible intelligence gathered by policemen at Sabo/Ilupeju divisional headquarters, that Hammed Taiwo and Kehinde Jimoh who are errand okada riders to the kidnap syndicate were sighted somewhere in Rounder area of Abeokuta North local government.

Upon the information, the DPO Sabo/Ilupeju division, SP Mustapha Opawoye, quickly moblised his men and moved to the area, where the duo of Hammed Taiwo and Kehinde Jimoh were apprehended.

On interrogation, they confessed been part of the syndicate, but their own role is to run errands and watch the environment to prevent law enforcement agents from getting to them unaware.

Their confession led to the discovery of the hideout of group at Abule Oba, off Ayetoro road, where they always met after collecting ransom from their victims.

Having discovered the hideout, the DPO mobilized his men,so safe corps, OPC men, local hunters and men of Amotekun corps and subsequently stormed the place where all the nine members of the syndicate were arrested.

Confirming their arrest, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, spokesperson of the state police command, said preliminary investigation revealed that, the suspects are the group terrorizing Abeokuta/Ayetoro road in recent time. Some of their victims have been able to identified them as their abductors.

Meanwhile, the state commissioner of police, CP Lanre Bankole, has expressed satisfaction about the intelligence-based investigation carried out by his men which led to the arrest of the hoodlums and has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to anti-kidnapping section of the state criminal investigation and intelligence department for discreet investigation.

The media offices of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader Bola Tinubu issued separate statements, yesterday, warning the public to beware of plots by unscrupulous persons against their principals.

Osinbajo and Tinubu have both declared their intention to contest the presidency in next year’s general elections. The duo’s aspirations, however, have further stirred political waters, with some of their supporters hurling accusations and counteraccusations.

Titled, ‘Tinubu is the target of blasphemous campaign’, the aspirant’s media office said: “The orchestrated set-up of a poster campaign seeking to use a literary application of the Biblical story of Judas Iscariot’s betrayal of Jesus Christ to rope Asiwaju Tinubu into a storm of blasphemy is the most desperate antics of anti-Tinubu propagandists in recent times.”

It said: “Investigations have revealed that those who created the offensive poster were the same people who created the counter-campaign alleging blasphemy. Their design is used both to provoke anger against the person and aspiration of Asiwaju Tinubu.

“This campaign has failed. This is clearly irresponsible and insensitive political propaganda that seeks to exploit religious sentiments to manipulate public perception against Asiwaju Tinubu, who is ostensibly the most formidable presidential aspirant in this race.”

ON the other hand, the Osinbajo for President Media Council said it “uncovered yet another fraudulent plan to malign the reputation of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President of Nigeria and a presidential aspirant on the platform of the APC.

“The plot has been traced to a cell of smear campaigners, led by a U.S. based Nigerian, who was formerly a Students Union President at the University of Lagos. The same individual is currently a lecturer at the University of Ohio in the USA.

“The plan is to use fake audio of faceless individuals with fictitious names to cast the Vice President, who is a Christian, as a religious fanatic, who discriminated against the staff of other faith while he was Attorney General (AG) and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State during the tenure of former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

The statement continues: “In the fake video, a woman is seen crying and making frantic allegations that she was discriminated against by the then-Attorney General, because she was not allowed to wear the Muslim head cover for women, otherwise known as ‘hijab’, to work.

“As observed by someone who was in the same ministry at the time Osinbajo served as Attorney General, no such incident ever occurred and this is just a malicious and wicked attempt to sully the sterling qualities of Osinbajo because of his presidential aspirations.

“Indeed as Attorney General, Osinbajo’s Secretary, a Muslim, Alhaji Abdul Gafar Bakare, had testified before now that the then Lagos AG ‘did not only encourage me to further my education, even at my relatively old age, he personally sponsored my BSc Accounting Programme.’ He added that the Vice President also sponsored his foreign travel then.

“It would be recalled that a similar smear campaign was unleashed against President Muhammadu Buhari, especially during the 2014-15 presidential campaigns, when it was alleged that he was virulently anti-Christian. The attempt however met with failure.

“Even though a Christian pastor, Osinbajo has always demonstrated himself to be a tolerant Nigerian who believes in inter-faith harmony and freedom of worship, as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution as amended.

“During his career as a university teacher, he taught Muslims and Christians alike in a convivial atmosphere. He also had excellent working and private relationships with Muslim bosses over the decades, including Judge Bola Ajibola, former Governor Tinubu and President Muhammadu Buhari. Osinbajo remains a firm believer in Nigeria’s diversity and an ardent proponent of Nigerian unity.

“For these reasons, the media council feels the need to alert the general public to the odious campaign strategy of Osinbajo’s detractors and urge everyone to ignore same when released to the public.”

PRESSING its argument further, Tinubu’s media office said: “It is widely known that Asiwaju Tinubu is married to not just a Christian but an ordained pastor, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and has developed a very deep fraternal relationship with Christendom at all levels, a fact acknowledged by many bishops, pastors and parishioners over the years.

“A known Muslim, Asiwaju in words and actions has demonstrated religious tolerance and accommodation. He believes in the cardinal principle of the Nigerian Constitution that no one should suffer discrimination on the basis of creed or opinion.

“Besides, as a former governor of Lagos, a state that is a microcosm of Nigeria in terms of religious diversity, his matured management of religion as a way of life, ensured inter-religious harmony in Nigeria’s most industrialised state.

“It is, therefore, impudent to contemplate that a statesman of Asiwaju Tinubu’s standing will condone Biblical allusions that could denigrate his person or status.

These basic facts were ignored by those desperate to set Muslims against Christians through deliberate disinformation of the general public.

“While we shall continue to appeal to the Nigerian people to ignore such campaigns of calumny, we reiterate our commitment to prioritise our political communication on the exposition of the truth and dissemination of our point of view with decency and regard to the feelings of Nigerians.

“This is an irreducible minimum for us. We urge others to join us in this patriotic mission by shunning desperation and verbal violence in the campaign for the highest office in the land.”

Truthisunique2:
The issue in South East is very simple, give them kanu

I believe Nigerians said this about the founding fathers of Boko Haram and how it was handled

Today the country would literally give anything to north to end agitation but it has gotten beyond that

Why don't the government do same for south east that still have a demand now?

You can release kanu and have him sign agreement with ICC etc that he can be apprehended wherever he is if he renegenes, from their the nation can start citing projects in south east and carrying them along at least to the extent that the other region enjoy

NigerianAngelo:
Let the Ukranian President just give them Donbass which is made up of ethnic Russians and end all of this.

He is also a war criminal.


Crimea opted to join their motherland in 2014 and the Ukrainians are still saying No. No to what exactly?



Besides I have seen videos of Ukranians brutally murdering Russians, or leaving them to die in the cold so they are equally (or more) wicked.
It dawns on me that some of Russia's murders during their retreat might be as a pain for all Ukranians did to them.

10,000 dead soldiers isn't 300 soldiers. That's wicked for people that weren't targeting you (civilians).

rippa:
Ortom is a million times better than Abiodu. Yahaya bello na champion were Abiodun dey. As peaceful as ogun state is, no single project is ongoing since 2019. No road even after producing a president and a vice president for 16years combined. Una nor get shame at all

uthlaw:
it works only on Monday,they will drop at Lagos,then take a bus to Ogun!

DrGoodman:
Abatam nwosu, thank God the Fulani herdsmen in DSS acting as unknown gunmen didn't kill you. They are in control of the army, police and dss for a reason