The Lagos State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers has said its members would comply with the Lagos State Government traffic laws.

NURTW chairman, Mr. Tajudeen Agbede, said this on Wednesday while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.

Agbede, however, pleaded for time to educate his members on the traffic laws operational in the state.

NAN reports that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu signed his first Executive Order on indiscriminate refuse dumping, traffic management and public works a day after his inauguration.

He reiterated the need for residents to obey rules contained in the executive order.

The governor also charged the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority to arrest motorists who flout traffic laws and ensure they are punished accordingly, irrespective of their statuses.

Agbede said, “We are law-abiding citizens but we want to plead with the government to give us time to call our members to order.

“We are in support of the government of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, but we plead that the government should always carry the unions along while making traffic laws.

“We also believe that any law the government makes is in the interest of its citizens.”

He also implored all NURTW members to always obey all the traffic laws put in place by the state government.

He also advised them to always ensure that their vehicle particulars are valid and they should have genuine driving licences.

He said that these were the certificates they needed to be on the road.

Agbede added, “Commuters intending to board commercial motorcycles must always demand crash helmets before boarding.

“They must also refuse the riders from carrying more than one passenger during a trip.”
(NAN)

The family of Favour Ekemedili, a Senior Secondary School 1 pupil of the Cedar College, Baruwa, in the Ipaja area of Lagos State, has been thrown into mourning after she allegedly died of drinking a beverage said to be laced with an insecticide, Sniper, on the school premises.

PUNCH Metro reports that Favour was in the classroom receiving lectures with her classmates when she allegedly took the beverage.

Immediately after consuming the beverage, it was learnt that she started complaining of severe stomach ache and was rushed to the school’s sickbay for urgent medical treatment.

While the nurse on duty was examining her to ascertain the cause of the discomfort, our correspondent gathered that Favour’s classmates, who saw when she took the beverage, were said to have showed the school management the leftover.

The beverage, after being examined, was discovered to be laced with Sniperand this prompted the school management to rush her to the General Hospital.

The Principal of the school, Samuel Adeliyi, said the management discovered that the beverage that Favour took was the cause of her stomach ache, because her classmates saw when she consumed it.

While commiserating with the bereaved family, the principal said the school management had paid a condolence visit to the family.

Adeliyi said, “On that faithful day, the first period was over and the teacher had left the class for the next teacher to come in. While they were waiting for the next teacher to come in, the girl (Favour) stood up, brought out the drink from her bag, went to the window and started drinking it.

“As she was drinking it, she poured some quantity through the window. Her classmate even challenged her for pouring the beverage away, but she didn’t answer them and as the next teacher entered the class, she threw the bottle away through the window.

“Three minutes later, she started complaining of stomach ache and she fell down. The classmates quickly rushed her to the sickbay and while she was being attended to by the nurse, her classmates, who went in search of the bottle, brought it to the sickbay to show the nurse what she took. When they smelled the content, they realised that the drink was Sniper. So, the nurse realised that the case was beyond the capacity of the sickbay and rushed her to the hospital that the school uses.”

When contacted, the deceased’s mother, Nkem, blamed the school management for not properly monitoring her daughter while in their care.

The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babjide Sanwo-Olu, has declared a state of emergency on environmental sanitation and traffic management matters in the state.

Sanwo-Olu declared this while signing the first executive order of refuse management, traffic management and public works on Thursday at the Lagos House, Alausa.

This, according to the Governor, will start the process of restoring stability and a culture of accountability in which all the citizens become active stakeholders in bringing about the necessary changes.

“As from the date of this order, there shall be zero tolerance for environmental abuse, including illegal and indiscriminate dumping of refuse, construction on drainage points and setbacks,” he said.

According to him, all LASTMA officials shall effectively carry out their functions by ensuring strict enforcement and compliance with all extant traffic rules and regulations.

He said the LASTMA officials would immediately begin work on a shift basis in which road and traffic management operations would be on till 11 pm on a daily basis.

Sanwo-Olu said that the Lagos State Public Works Corporation would immediately commence the identification and repairs of all potholes and bad roads within the state.

He also said provisions of the order would extend to all enforcement agencies in the state, in maintaining law and order for the collective good of the citizens.

“I expect the fullest level of compliance with this order and will look to the various heads of ministries, departments and agencies to give full force and effect to the orders therein contained and to take responsibility for any failure,” he said.

(NAN)

A four-year-old has been reported killed by The Nation newspaper as another building collapsed in Lagos on Tuesday.
According to the newspaper, the building collapsed on Agarawu Street, Lagos Island, where several buildings have collapsed in recent times.

The Lagos State Government on Tuesday began construction of road at Ojodu-Berger area of the state, promising to compensate residents whose properties will be affected.

According to the government, the expansion of the two-lane road to six-lane was going to bring inconveniences to people but appealed to concerned stakeholders to cooperate for the successful execution of the project.

Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Prince Rotimi Ogunleye, while speaking at the stakeholders’ meeting for the construction of Kosoko Road, Ojodu Berger in Ojodu Local Council Development Area, called for understanding of the residents and other property owners whose property might be affected by the project.

He said the project was part of moves of the current administration to ensure regional integration and implementation of policies that would fast-track the southwest integration.

Ogunleye said the concept of regional integration was very crucial to the state government, saying that the Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration believed in developing the border roads to actualize the southwest regional integration agenda.

The commissioner stated that property owners were bound to undergo some inconveniences during the construction of the roads, he assured the stakeholders of enhanced value of their property when the project was completed.

He promised that the administration would adequately compensate those affected by the regeneration of Ojodu Berger as well as other developmental projects carried out by the government irrespective of the time left for the administration to handover.

According to him, the Sanwo-Olu administration would continue to work on the infrastructural development.

“Please we want you to cooperate with our team who will soon begin to mark your houses. First team will come to do the enumeration, other will come for the marking and another team will come for the removal,” he said.

Ogunleye allayed fear over denial of payment, urging the residents and affected property owner to bring any document to prove their ownership of the affected property.

“Bring whatever documents to you have to prove ownership of the house. As long there is evidence to prove that the property is yours, you will be duly compensated.”

Also speaking, the Iya-loja of the demolished market, Alhaja Abibat Adegbola said though most Lagosians and residents were happy with the regeneration of Ojodu Berger by the outgoing administration, she lamented that hundreds of marketers were being rendered jobless and wrecked by the demolition of the market.

A 17-year-old girl identified as Rachel was on Thursday rescued from a suspected ritualists’ den at Ijanikin where she was whisked to by a gang of three men.

The girl, a make-up apprentice, was said to have been hypnotised and abducted on Wednesday morning while on an errand along Ibasa Road, Alasia, Ijanikin, a Lagos suburb.

Her abductors were said to have taken her to a secluded place on Dan Ajaiyi Street, Ijanikin where they allegedly perfected plans to kill her.

She reportedly miraculously regained consciousness and screamed “Blood of Jesus.”

Her scream was said to have caught the attention of neighbours who invaded the house after the suspected ritualists had fled through the bush.

A resident, Chika Ugochukwu, said the suspected ritualists packed into the neighbourhood last year, adding that people hardly bothered about their activities since their home was isolated from others.

Another neighbour, Tochukwu, said the suspects allegedly touched the girl with a charm which made her followed them unconsciously.

“The suspects were already preparing the girl to be used when some neighbours heard her scream.

“The shrine where they took her to is behind an isolated house on Dan Ajaiyi Street. The suspects fled when they knew that the game was up,” he said.

The Lagos Government has warned consumers about the health risk of some cow hide, popularly called ponmo, being offered for sale in the state.

A Press release signed by Director, Public Affairs, Adeola Salako, said government arrested three persons connected with the sale of “toxic ponmo” in Ojo and Iba council areas, while the suspicious meat was also confiscated in large quantity.

“The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, who disclosed this in his office today (Sunday) while reviewing report of preliminary investigation and enforcement carried out on the sale of the toxic ponmo in the areas, stated that the three persons involved have been charged to court, while samples of the confiscated ponmo had been sent to the NAFDAC laboratory for suitability test analysis for human consumption,” the release further stated.

Idris, while explaining what brought about the action, stated that the attention of the state government was drawn to the activities of traders who deal in the sale of the poisonous cow skin at odd hours in different locations in Ojo and Iba local government areas of the state.

“Preliminary investigations and suspect-tracing revealed that the traders were very active in the early hours between the hours of 4.00am and 6.00am at various locations such as Volkswagen bus stop, Iyana Iba, and Afolabi Ege markets, all within Ojo local government and Iba local council areas of the state.

“Furthermore, a company said to be located at Ije-Ododo area of Iba LCDA was indicted as the source of supply of this toxic ponmo and has subsequently been put under surveillance,” Idris said.

The commissioner called on the public to be vigilant and report any suspected activities and sale of unwholesome foods and food products to environmental health officers in their nearest local government or to the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Agriculture.

He also advised the public against purchase and consumption of foods whose sources are doubtful or are perceived to be hazardous to human health.

Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said the National Grid is experiencing reduced power generation because of an emergency maintenance by Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) on pipeline supplying gas to Egbin, Omotosho, Olorunsogo and Paras power stations.

Mrs Ndidi Mbah, TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs in a statement on Saturday said the maintenance had necessitated the total shutdown of the four power generating plants on April 25.

Mbah said the maintenance on the pipeline was reportedly caused by a leakage discovered on the Escravos-Lagos gas pipeline system.

She also said that prior to the incident, Omotosho National Integrated Power Plant (NIPP) and Olorunsogo NIPP had already been out due to gas supply issues.

She, however, said NGC hard begun repairs on the gas pipeline and restore normal gas supply to the affected power plants.

“Presently, repairs have been completed and the pipeline is currently being pressurised prior to resumption of gas supply to the affected power stations’’

She said TCN had diverted about 312MW of electricity from the Benin-Egbin 330kV transmission line which tripped by 23.14 hours on April, 23 to Omotosho–Ikeja West and Ayede-Ikeja 330kV transmission lines.

The TCN spokesperson attributed the diversion to on-going repair works on the Benin-Egbin 330kV transmission line.

She said the tripping was caused by a transmission line cut between Ofofu and Okada towns, noting that TCN engineers are making concerted efforts to complete repair works on the transmission line.

She, however, said the diversion had also reduced the load shedding in Lagos axis.

“Due to the diversion of the load from the line to the two transmission lines equally feeding Lagos axis, load shedding in Lagos axis was minimised to about 280MW at the first instance.’’

She, however, said with the attendant gas supply issues and sudden gas leakage problem, load shedding had increased considerably.

Mbah said TCN regrets the inconveniences, but assured that power supply would return to normal as soon as normal gas supply is restored to the affected power stations and transmission repair work completed.

Residents of Alasiya in Abraham Adesanya Estate area, in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State, were thrown into panic on Sunday as a suspected clash by rival cults left five corpses on the streets.

Eyewitnesses said the clash started around midnight, adding that two of the five corpses were beheaded.

It was gathered that one victim was shot dead, another was slaughtered and the last one was butchered to death.

It was learnt that the police were able to recover four corpses because the family of one of the victims refused to release his remains.

A resident, Black Che, said he heard multiple gunshots around midnight.

The Enugu State indigene said, “Last night, when we were inside the factory around midnight, we heard gunshots. But when we came out this morning, we saw five corpses. The police evacuated four corpses but the last corpse was not released to them, because the family of the person who was killed prevented them from taking his corpse away.

“Two of the corpses that I saw were beheaded; another one was shot dead and his assailants slit his throat; another was slaughtered; and the last one was butchered. The corpses were dumped at different locations around the Alasiya bus stop.

“One dead body was by the road divider at General Paint; one was in front of the bus stop; another was in front of a school; one was not far from the Total filling station; while the last one was by the recycling area around the bus stop.”

A security guard, Uka Kalu, said when he heard the gunshots around midnight, he immediately closed the gate of the company he was hired to secure, adding that he was surprised to learn of the death of five people in the morning.

He said, “I was inside when I started hearing gunshots and the noise of people. I came out to observe what was going on. When I got outside, I asked the people I saw what was going on and what they told me was that some people who disembarked from a vehicle were the ones shouting. I immediately got inside and locked the gate.

“It was in the morning that we realised that the noise was in connection with the killing of five people, and when one of our workers visited the scene, he came back saying the sight was gory.”

A welder, Isiak Adebayo, while condemning the rate at which youths were killing themselves in the name of cultism, charged security agents to restore normalcy in the area.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, said four corpses that were probably dumped in the area were recovered, adding that the command had commenced investigation into the matter.

“Four corpses were recovered from the scene of the incident and what we are suspecting is a cult supremacy fight. We have launched an investigation into the case,” Elkana said.

The Lagos State Government is set to roll out 820 medium and high capacity buses under its public transportation Bus Reform Initiative to meet the yearnings of its citizenry.

The State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Ladi Lawanson, who disclosed this on Thursday at the Secretariat, Alausa, noted that the deployment of the new buses will address the inadequacies of the present unreliable transportation system in Lagos metropolis.

According to him, the State Government designed the Bus Reform Project to correct the many challenges inherent in the present system, through the replacement of yellow mini-buses with air-conditioned vehicles of uniform specification, predictable bus schedules, and routes supported by appropriate infrastructure.

Lawanson recalled the first implementation of the bus reforms which began with the construction and commissioning of the Ikeja Bus Terminal by President Muhammadu Buhari, followed by the completion of other terminals at Yaba, Oyingbo, Ojota, Agege, and Ajah as well as the Oshodi Transport Interchange masterpiece to be unveiled by the President before the end of the administration’s tenure on May 29.

He maintained that the Bus Reform Project which will be technology driven will ensure seamless integration of transport modes and passenger movement through 23 routes for efficiency and effectiveness that will restore the confidence of Lagosians in the use of public transport facilities.

Explaining further, Lawanson said 75 of the 100 bus shelters earmarked for the first phase of the Bus Reform project have been completed to support the operations of the buses.

Allaying fears that the existing transport unions members will be sent into labour market, Lawanson stated that 800 of the buses will be released to private operators through the operating lease model which has incorporated the current road transport operators – National Union of Road Transport Workers, (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) – as part of the Bus Operating Companies.

While congratulating Lagosians for being part of the laudable project aimed at ensuring a better life for all, Lawanson urged citizens to take ownership of the project by guiding against misuse and vandalisation when the buses commence operations.

The fire stricken Italian ship, MV Grande America, owned by the Grimaldi Group, has sunk in the Bay of Biscay in water depths of 4,600 meters off the coast of France.

According to France’s Marine Nationale, the ship, a container-roro carrier, sank on Tuesday at 1526 local time about 180 nautical miles off the French coast.

Fire broke out on the Grande America on Sunday night as the ship was underway in the Bay of Biscay during a voyage from Hamburg, Germany to Casablanca, Morocco.

The fire was primarily located in cargo containers in the forward portion of the ship. Several containers fell off the ship into the water while it was burning before it eventually sank on Tuesday afternoon.

All 27 crew members abandoned ship in a lifeboat and later rescued by British frigate HMS Argyll and were taken ashore to the French port of Brest.

No major injuries were reported, although several of the crew members were treated for smoke inhalation.

The 213-meter, 27,965 dwt Grande America was built in 1997.It was carrying 2000 cars and 365 containers bound for Lagos, Nigeria

Occupants of a building in the Oke Arin part of Lagos Island are currently trapped following the collapse of a house at Egerton Square.

A resident said that the incident happened at around 3.30pm on Monday.

Eyewitness said the building located at No 57, Egerton square in Alakoro area, Lagos Island, collapsed just as Lagos State Building Control officials were demolishing a building beside it.

The affected building itself was earmarked for demolition.

It was gathered that many people are still trapped in the rubble as rescue mission by residents and sympathizers is underway.

This is coming after a school building collapsed at Itafaji area of Lagos Island on Wednesday, March 13th.

Over 20 residents including pupils of a Nursery/Primary School operating within the building lost their lives while tens of others were rushed to different hospitals on Lagos Island on Wednesday.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged “the governments of Lagos and Oyo states to “take immediate action to address the numerous ongoing human rights impacts of the deadly and catastrophic building collapse in their respective states, including by taking meaningful steps to avoid further damage to the human rights of the people affected.”

The organization said: “The Lagos State governor, Akinwumi Ambode and Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi should ensure as a matter of priority, access of victims and their families to effective remedies in a transparent manner, specifically, access to justice, adequate compensation, reparation, and guarantees that incidents like these can never happen again.”

According to the organization: “These tragedies point to weak enforcement of building regulations and oversight by the two states and urgent need for effective action and reforms. SERAP is concerned that the responses so far by the governments of Lagos and Oyo states have been insufficient to deal with the massive extent of the human costs of the incidents.”

In a statement Sunday, SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare said: “These incidents come as a tragic reminder of the mismanagement, weakness in the regulatory and monitoring regime. The governments should have done more to prevent them from happening. The governors should act decisively on their commitments to do everything in their powers to prevent more such tragedies, and to bring to justice those responsible, to serve as a deterrent and end the negligence at which many are carrying out their duties.”

The statement read in part: “Schools should be a sanctuary – a place where children can learn, develop and play with their classmates, and prepare for their future lives in society. Collapse of school building due to weak enforcement regulations or corruption is an implicit attack on the right of Nigerian children to education, life, and human dignity. Such situation creates an environment of fear and severely diminishes the quality of children’s education.”

“The tragedies demand accountability and both Lagos and Oyo states should accept responsibility for these incidents; promptly, thoroughly and impartially investigate exactly how they happened, and publicly apologise to the victims, their families and Nigerians. Building developers and contractors can only be properly held to account if the two states do the right thing for the harm they have caused.”

“SERAP is seriously concerned about the frequency of building collapse in the country. Many buildings within Lagos and Oyo states reportedly remain in breach of minimum standards. Both governments should urgently take effective monitoring and enforcement action and provide conclusive evidence that buildings within their states are safe, strong, stable and meet applicable legal and building standards.”

“In order to prevent other tragedies, authorities at both federal and state levels should monitor and effectively enforce compliance by public and private actors with their regulatory and environmental standards. President Muhammadu Buhari and all the 36 state governors should publicly commit that they will do everything possible to prevent new tragedies like those of Lagos Island and Bode, Ibadan.”

“We condemn the collapse of a three-storey building in Ita Faji area of Lagos Island with over 20 people including school children reportedly dead and 45 injured, and the collapse of a two-storey building in Ibadan, Oyo State, with some people reportedly injured.”

“We stand in solidarity with those affected and ready to help by providing free legal advice, assistance and support in order to ensure that justice is not only done, but also seen to be done in these cases.”

The Lagos state government has commenced the demolition of buildings likely to collapse at Lagos Island.

Government officials are currently pulling down such houses on Freeman street in Ita Faji area.

The development comes two days after a three-storey building on Massey street in the same area, caved in.

Twenty people, including nine children were killed in the incident while 50 were rescued.

The candidate of All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has been declared the winner of the governorship election held on Saturday, March 9.

Returning Officer, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede, made the declaration on Sunday at INEC’s collation centre in Yaba, Lagos.

Following the announcement of the results of all the local government areas in Lagos State, the All Progressives Congress has won in all the LGAs.

Meanwhile, there was a mild drama at the collation centre when the governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Prof. Ifagbemi Awamaridi, protested against the announcement of the results.

He argued that the election in the state should not have taken place at all given that the number of electoral materials were incomplete, as discovered during the distribution in the premises of the Central Bank of Nigeria branch in the state on Wednesday.

Awamaridi, whose insistence drew comments from the audience, said, “On Wednesday, we pointed out that the election materials were not complete and the law says election should not start until that is resolved.

“INEC told us it would invite us when the matter is resolved, but that didn’t happen until the election took place yesterday. It is wrong.”

Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says “O to ge”, the slogan used to dislodge Senate President Bukola Saraki is not applicable in Lagos.

Loosely translated as “enough is enough”, the slogan yielded massive rewards for Kwara APC as the party displaced all the three sitting senators in the state, won all house of reps seats and President Muhammadu Buhari defeated Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic (PDP), with over 150,000 votes in the state.

Some politicians and activists opposed to Tinubu had attempted to use a similar strategy to stop the emergence of Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his preferred candidate.

But fielding questions from reporters after casting his ballot at polling unit  047, ward 3, Ikeja local government area of the state, Tinubu said in Lagos, the people should consider “o to pe”, translated as “it’s worthy of praise”.

He said there is a limit to copying concepts from other states, expressing confidence that his party would emerge victorious in the exercise.

“The O to ge slogan is for Ilorin; Lagos is not Kwara state, and there is a limit to copying. Lagos should be O to pe, not O Toge,” he said.

“We are going to win because we are the only party in Lagos state, others are pretenders; they come and they will go away. Leopard cannot change his skin.

“Lagos belongs to the progressives; we are progressives and we will remain progressives. For Lagos, it has seen tremendous development since I was the governor; before then, the highest internally generated revenue (IGR) was N600 million, per month, now it is over N30 billion.

“No other state has achieved what we have achieved, financial independence, as Lagos state; no other nation, they all depend on allocation from the federal government. Lagos State today will not depend on any allocation before we take care of capital needs; we build roads and bridges everywhere from Oregun to many parts of the state.

“The real estate value of Lagos state has exponentially increased than any other state in the federation. We are the fifth largest economy in Africa; let me see that governor who will do better than that.”

Tinubu said the the violence which erupted in the Okota area of state during the presidential and national assembly elections, is not enough to give the impression that the state is prone to violence.

He blamed the media of giving hype to negative stories, saying that such attributes would not bring the necessary progress.

“I take exception to what happened in Okota two weeks ago. I am very upset about that incidence placing Lagos as if we are violent-prone,” he said.

“We have about 1,325 polling units in Lagos State and only five units were affected in Okota. That should not mean that the election was a failure in the state.

“If we should rate it, the election should be about 97 per cent rate of success if right mentally. An incident in Okota should not be used to generalise the whole election in Lagos State.

“The success rate should have been the story, not the ugly incident that should be the story. For the media, how can five units out of 1,325 units constitute a violent election and were given hype that Lagos is violent; we cannot do justice to that.

“How can we have development to the economy and the medium of information? In terms of security, Lagos has always been ready to celebrate democracy, and violence free. The security officials are doing well and the INEC has started well too with the logistics well managed.

“We will continue to welcome everybody to Lagos State.  We cannot stop people from coming to the state. If Lagos is not good enough, they won’t come. If the state is plagued with disease or insecurity or unemployment, people won’t come. Those leaving their states to come to Lagos are welcome, they are not a threat.”

The Lagos State Government says there is no public holiday on Friday, March 8, advising all civil servants to be at their various duty posts.

Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Kehinde Bamigbetan, made the disclosure in a statement in Lagos.

Bamigbetan decried reports currently circulating on social media platforms suggesting that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had declared Friday as public holiday to enable residents prepare for the March 9 Governorship and House of Assembly elections.

He restated that all public and private schools in the state were expected to proceed on the second mid-term break on Thursday 7 and Friday 8 March, as earlier announced by the Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Adebule.

According to him, all public and private schools will resume academic activities on Monday, March 11, in accordance with the revised school calendar for the 2018/2019 academic year.