Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has received an assurance from students of the Lagos State University (LASU) to join him on a peace walk in December.
They spoke on Thursday after the Governor commissioned the newly built students arcade LASU main campus in Ojo.
The LASU students Arcade is the largest Student Union Building in any Nigerian tertiary institution.
Sanwo-Olu, while reacting to the recent findings of the #EndSARS Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up to investigate cases of police brutality in the State as well as the tragic shooting of protesters at the Lekki toll gate on the 20th of October, 2020, had invited key campaigners to join him on a peace walk for some time in December.
But musicians Falz, Seun Kuti and comedian Mr Macaroni rejected the offer for varied reasons.
However LASU student union president, Comrade Oladipupo Badmus announced that all students of the State- owned tertiary institution have resolved to walk with the Governor for peace and prosperity of the State.
Badmus, who led hundreds of students to welcome the Governor to the institution with Speaker of the Students Union Representatives, Rt. Hon. Mustapha Adejuwon, to welcome Babajide, described him as a youth-centric Governor.
They commended the Governor’s giant strides in Lagos State, especially in the education sector.
Governor Sanwo-Olu donated two big buses to the Students Union as well as other gadgets and equipment for students’ use.
The publisher of SaharaReporters, Omoyele Sowore, on Thursday was attacked by hoodlums as he was exiting the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The human rights activist had visited the court in the early hours of Thursday to attend the hearing in a case involving the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
Kanu is facing an amended 7-count charge bordering on treasonable felony and acts of terrorism which were brought against him by the government after his re-arrest and repatriation to Nigeria in June this year.
It was disclosed that while Sowore was in the courtroom, the hoodlums had laid siege around the court premises waiting for him to come out.
According to SaharaReporters, immediately Sowore came out of the courtroom, the hoodlums attacked him and his entourage with stones.
It was reported that the hoodlums rained several stones on his car, damaging the front and rear side glasses.
The platform claimed that some of the hired hoodlums could be heard telling others to chase the vehicle and make sure the activist was dealt with.
Meanwhile, the trial of the embattled leader of the proscribed group has been shifted to January 18, 2022.
Naija News reports that the new trial date for the Biafran leader was declared by Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja today.
Aloy Ejimakor, the Special Counsel to Nigerian Biafra political activist, Nnamdi Kanu, and the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) says reports claiming his client will be freed today is “premature” and based on “assumption”.
Ejimakor said this in an interview with BBC News Pidgin published on the website on Thursday morning.
According to him, he is not happy with the rumours bandied about by most IPOB separatists. He said since the ultimate decision belongs to the court, they cannot confidently say whether Kanu would be released today (Thursday) or not.
POLITICS NIGERIA recalls that Kanu’s treason case was originally scheduled to be heard next year, but the court granted an abridgement of time after a motion was filed by the Nigerian separatist leader.
Justice Nyako had on November 10, 2021, adjourned the trial of Kanu till January 19 and 20, 2022, for trial.
But the court granted an abridgement of time after a motion was filed in that respect, and he is expected to appear in court today (Thursday).
Kanu, 54, was born at Afaraukwu, Abia State. He had been arrested in 2017 for demanding the secession of the South-East zone from the Nigerian State.
However, he jumped bail in June 2018 before leaving for the United Kingdom (UK), though he said that he fled because his life was no longer safe in Nigeria.
After more than three years abroad, Nigeria’s Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami at a press briefing in Abuja on June 29, 2021, announced that the IPOB leader was re-arrested in a foreign country and extradited to Nigeria.
Ejimakor had said the IPOB leader was re-arrested in Kenya and whisked to Nigeria.
Upon his re-arrest and extradition in June 2021, he was re-arraigned before Justice Nyako for terrorism-related charges brought against him by the AGF office. Kanu has since been remanded in the custody of the DSS in Abuja.
Some respected Igbo elders, led by Minister of Aviation in the First Republic, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, had recently visited President Muhammadu Buhari in Aso Rock and requested the unconditional release of the detained secessionist leader.
Buhari had told them he would not want to interfere in the running of the judiciary but said he would consider their demand though “a heavy one.”
Some Nigerians have taken to social media to react after seeing a man confront a soldier for smashing his windscreen.
Naija News reports that a cab driver had taken to his Instagram account to narrate how he confronted a soldier after he (the soldier) smashed his windscreen in Lagos.
The man identified as, Faithful Olatunde said he was driving from Muritala Mohammed International Airport Lagos when he encountered traffic on Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH .
While in traffic his passenger was trying to get gala. However, this action did not sit well with two soldiers who were monitoring the traffic and they proceeded to smash his windscreen.
He wrote: “I was driving from MM2 towards Lasuth, there was traffic on the brigde towards lasuth and This 2 soldiers were directing the traffic, just before we were asked to move, the guy I was carrying decided to buy gala, I gave him N100 to buy it then were asked to move so I started to move slowly to cover up, the guy bought the gala in less than 2seconds but ahead of me the soldier controlling the traffic asked me to move fast which I did,only for me to get to his front and he smashed my windscreen, so i stopped to confront him, and he started molesting and threatening me, He actually hit me twice on my head with the pipe he used to break my windscreen and the wiper. I did nothing wrong, while I was accusing him of his wrong doing his partner tried to rush me to collect my phone but I was fast enough to get a good grip on my phone, but he managed to crack part of the screen of my phone. I DID NOTHING WRONG FOR CRYING OUT LOUD”
Reacting to the situation, some Nigerians have condemned the security operatives action, maintaining that they were wrong in destroying the man’s windscreen.
Below are some comments culled by Naija News
Foreverdope: “How many times will they tell you Nigeria is not for you”
drizslim: “E no make sense say soldier wen suppose de fight terrorist come de terrorize the people..
Soon we go do revolution against the military.”
Jidemoo: “In as much as the dude no do the right thing but the soldier gats pay for the damages which kin showoff be that one….or make dem send am go Borno make Boko boys teach am lesson.”
rondef: “remove guns and weapons they carry about, they nothing but bloody humans.”
JosephXavier: “It’s unfortunate but their spokesman will still come and tell us how professional Nigerian soldiers are and how they use the rule of engagement to tackle insecurity.
A leader of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in Lagos State, Kunle Ajibade, has been murdered by suspected hoodlums in Ijeshatedo, in the Surulere area of the state.
According to Punch Metro, the assailants stabbed the 28-year-old at his house and trailed him to a hospital where he was receiving treatment.
They were said to have shot him multiple times.
The victim’s brother, Kehinde, who urged the police to investigate the killing, said his brother was being rushed to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital when he gave up on the way.
Our correspondent learnt that the circumstances surrounding Kunle’s death started during a celebration tagged Prosper Day.
The party held last Saturday on Ijikoyijo Street, Ijeshatedo, where Kunle was the vice-chairman of the NURTW.
Members of two rival gangs reportedly attended the party to also catch fun.
While one of the gang members was led by a man identified as My Son, the other gang was led by a transport worker identified as Kolom.
Kehinde said trouble started when one Malik, a member of Kolom’s gang, started misbehaving after drinking to a stupor around 10pm.
He claimed that Malik’s action infuriated members of the other gang, which led to a fight between the groups.
“Also in Ijesha, there is a group known as the Ultimate, led by one Alaka.
“During the fight, members of the Ultimate group supported My Son group.
“Kunle and some people tried to settle the fight. But Alaka became annoyed and engaged in a shouting match with my brother.
“One of Alaka’s boys, Jabi, even broke a bottle on my brother’s head, but we ensured that the matter was settled for peace to reign. The party ended and everyone went home,” Kehinde added.
He alleged that Alaka, however, led his gang to attack Kunle at midnight, adding that they stabbed him with different weapons, including machetes.
“I was asleep when my phone rang around 2am. I checked it and realised that it was my wife calling. I picked it, but my mother started speaking and she said I should go to Ijikoyijo Street because some people had used machetes to inflict serious wounds on Kunle.
“When I got there, I was told that they had taken my brother to a private hospital on Ogunmuyiwa Street. On my way there, I met his friends, who said while at the hospital, Alaka led his boys to attack the medical facility and shot my brother.
“They shot him in the hand, back and thigh. Even without the gunshots, the probability of him surviving the injuries he suffered during the attack with machetes was low. They cut his hand and head. I have Alaka’s voice recordings confirming that he attacked my brother.
The Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) – brainchild of Industrialist, philanthropist and founder of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, has provided a grant of 2.5billion Naira to the Edo State Government towards the equipping of the New Stella Obasanjo Hospital in Benin City currently being reconfigured, upgraded, and expanded to a 250-bed specialist hospital.
This donation makes Edo State the fourth state after Sokoto, Ogun and Kwara states to receive a 2.5billion Naira grant from ASR Africa’s 10bn Naira Tertiary Healthcare Systems Support Grants Scheme for 2021 drawn from the Annual ASR Africa $100million Fund for Social Development and Renewal.
Presenting the grants award letter to Governor Godwin Obaseki in Edo State, Ubon Udoh, Managing Director, ASR Africa Initiative said the 2.5billion Naira Healthcare grant to Edo State, was in fulfilment of the pledge made by the founder of ASR Africa, Alh. Abdul Samad Rabiu, in June 2021 when he specifically set aside 10billion Naira for tertiary healthcare interventions in 4 states in Nigeria. He further added that the 2.5billion grant, which will be put towards equipping the new Stella Obasanjo Hospital, will go a long way in raising the standard of care accessible in the region. He also commended Governor Godwin Obaseki, for his commitment to healthcare development at all levels within the State.
Governor Obaseki, whilst thanking the ASR Africa Initiative for the grant, stated that his government decided to improve healthcare delivery in the state by renovating, improving, and upgrading the Stella Obasanjo Hospital to a 250-bed hospital. He also added that new buildings and services are being added to complement and support the existing complex.
According to Governor Obaseki, “I am immensely grateful to Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu for this grant through his ASR Africa Initiative. Beyond improving healthcare delivery in Edo State, this partnership with ASR Africa is very important for us in creating a template for the implementation of future development partnerships.”
The brainchild of African Industrialist, Philanthropist and Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) was established in 2021 to provide sustainable, impact-based homegrown solutions to developmental issues affecting Health, Education and Social Development within Africa
Kano Governor Abdullahi Ganduje on Wednesday expressed deep pains and grief over the death of 36 persons in a boat mishap in the State.
The incident occurred on Tuesday in Badau village of Bagwai local government area.
Seven of the victims are in an intensive care centre of Bagwai hospital.
Eyewitnesses said some other persons on board the ill-fated boat were still missing as at press time even as rescue teams continued tirelessly with their search operations.
According to a police report on Wednesday, 36 bodies have been recovered with 29 confirmed clinically dead by medical doctors.
Among the dead are 21 females and 8 males, the police said.
A statement by police spokesman, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), explained: “36 bodies have been recovered. 29 are confirmed dead by a medical doctor.
“Seven rescued are receiving treatment at Bagwai Hospital. Of those rescued (alive), are four females and three males. Rescue mission in progress, please.”
Ganduje described the incident as a “state tragedy.”
His condolences were contained in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Abba Anwar.
He lamented that the same spot had swallowed many persons in a similar boat mishap some years ago.
It was gathered that the boat was sailing from Hayin Badau to Bagwai with 50 passengers, most of them Islamiyyah students, when it capsized due to “overloading.”
Ganduje said: “We learnt the boat started from Hayin Badau to Bagwai with passengers who were on their way to attend Maulud celebration.
“The boat was ferrying about 50 people with some loads. It capsized because of overload. And most of them were Islamiyyah students.
“So far, based on the information we received, as at this morning of Wednesday, there were 20 deaths, 7 in hospital and another 8 people were found this morning and the rescue operation is still going on.
“While we pray to Allah to forgive and bless the souls of those who died and pray for a quick recovery of those who are in the hospital receiving medical attention, I urge boats operators to always take the issue of loading very seriously.
“They (boat operators) should know that they can still get profit without overloading their boats.”
While saluting the courage and patriot posture of the rescue teams,” Ganduje warned: “People should know that the lives of all fellow human beings are too important to be risked deliberately.”
The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo, has refuted some claims made by the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, and his Labour and Employment counterpart, Festus Keyamo, regarding the judicial panel constituted by the state to investigate the October 2020 #EndSARS protests.
Mohammed had dismissed the report which indicted the Nigerian army and Lagos government as one riddled with “errors, inconsistencies, discrepancies, speculations, innuendoes, omissions and conclusions that are not supported by evidence”.
The information minister had claimed that members of the panel concentrated on the protesters and allegedly failed to mention cases of police personnel who were “brutally murdered” during the protest, saying “Does this mean that the panel didn’t consider policemen and women as human beings?”
But Onigbanjo exonerated the panel in that regard when he appeared on Arise TV’s ‘The Morning Show’ on Wednesday to speak on the white paper released by the state government on the #EndSARS report. The state government had described the panel’s findings as “totally unreliable” and “unacceptable” in the white paper.
The attorney-general said that the panel submitted a two-part report to the Lagos Government, noting that the part which leaked to the media “dealt with the issues from the Lekki Toll Gate”.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said the other part of the report contains cases of EndSARS-related violence in other parts of the state, including petitions submitted by police officers and their families.
“On the issue of the allegation that the panel made no reference to the policeman or didn’t take them into consideration. To their credit, they did,” said Onigbanjo.
“They issued two reports. The report which leaked only dealt with the issues from the Lekki toll gate, there’s another report which they issued which was not leaked. That report deals with all the #EndSARS petitions, about 253 in number. Out of that 253, policemen also brought their own petitions. And in that report, they (the panel) awarded the sum of maybe N36.2 million to policemen who were affected one way or the other by the protests.
“So, to be fair to them. They did consider the plight of policemen too. And look at most of their recommendations…. for better welfare for the police, better equipment, more training, psychological evaluation, so they took them into consideration. Most certainly they did.”
The Lagos Attorney-General further deflated the claim by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Keyamo, who had faulted the constitutionality of the judicial panel.
Keyamo had claimed that state governments have no powers whatsoever to inquire into affairs affecting the Nigerian army or the police or any federal institution.
Onigbanjo, however, said: “…as to the legality of the panel, I do not agree with him (Keyamo) with all due respect, because firstly, it was the National Economic Council that directed states to go and set up the judicial panels of inquiry.
“Under the law, the tribunal of inquiry law of Lagos state, the state government is vested with the power to set up an inquiry into anything of public concern in the state.
“Now, what are we talking about here? Largely abuse of human rights. As far as I know, abuse of human rights is a matter on the residual list, which means it’s only the states that can handle such matters, and in fact, there are a couple of Supreme Court cases which say categorically that the federal government cannot set up tribunals of inquiry for the Federation. So, on so many fronts, that statement by the Honorable Minister, Mr. keyamo, is incorrect, that’s not the position of the law.”
Lagos 2022 Budget Scales Second Reading As Committees Begin Work
The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, on Tuesday committed the 2022 Appropriation Bill of the State to a joint committee on Finance and Economic Planning and Budget after deliberations by members.
Recall that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, last Wednesday presented to the Assembly a budget size of ₦1,388,285,459,990.51 for the year 2022.
As the lawmakers read the bill for a second time, many of them commended the Governor for allocating 59 percent of the proposed appropriation to capital expenditure with some saying it would further bring the dividends of democracy to the residents of the State.
Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, said the allocation to capital expenditure proposes that more hands would be engaged within the year as the government develops more infrastructure.
“If this budget is well funded and monitored properly, democratic dividends would be felt more,” he said.
In his contribution, Hon. Temitope Adewale urged that the revenue generation net of the state should be widened with lesser emphasis on borrowing.
On his part, Hon. Fatai Mojeed, urged that while considering the bill, there should be consideration for the microeconomic indices of the State like its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He commended the Governor for allocating 23 percent of the budget to education but raised concerns over what he called an overbloated personnel cost in the Ministry of Establishment.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, Hon. Rotimi Olowo, noted that some of the MDAs performed woefully in 2021 adding that there was need for some of the revenue-generating institutions of the government to be rejigged.
He also suggested that the government create more vocational centres for the youth while advising against excessive borrowing.
Speaking on the budget, the Chairman of the Committee on Economic Planning and Budget, Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu, suggested that the House approves only what is feasible and that if the state needs more, it could make a recourse to the Assembly.
Others who spoke included Hon. Setonji David, who wants the fiscal instruments of the budget to be spelt out properly at the committee stages of defence, Hon. Oluyinka Ogundimu, who advocated for a realistic budget, Hon. Adedamola Richard Kasunmu, and Hon. Mojisola Alli-Macaulay, who urged the government to consider vulnerable women and children.
Meanwhile, the House, at the sitting, passed the bills to amend the Lagos State pension reforms law and that which amends the public office holders (payment of pensions) law.
A former Minister of Aviation in Nigeria, Femi Fani-Kayode, was on Tuesday re-arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He was arrested at a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos State.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart, who was in court over his forgery trial, was exiting the courtroom after the matter was adjourned till January 24, 2021, when he was approached by an EFCC investigator.
He was subsequently arrested and moved to a nearby EFCC custody — a week after his earlier arrest.
It is understood that he is still being quizzed over false documents.
