News

Ban: Lagos Okada Riders Revolt, Kill Policeman, Injure DPO

Published

6 months ago

April 6, 2023

Eric

A yet-to-be-identified policeman was killed on Wednesday by rampaging motorcyclists protesting against the enforcement of the ban on commercial motorcycle operations in the Cele-Ijesha area of Lagos State.

During the clash, according to The Punch, the motorcyclists also injured a Divisional Police Officer who was said to be part of the team enforcing the ban in the community.

During the enforcement around 11am on Wednesday, it was learnt that the policemen accosted a motorcyclist plying the Mile 2-Cele axis

In an attempt to seize the motorcycle, the motorcyclist resisted and other motorcyclists who witnessed the incident intervened to support their colleague and which resulted in a clash with the policemen.

An eyewitness, who did not want his name in print for security reasons, told The Punch that during the clash, one of the policemen attempted to use his gun to scare the motorcyclist and his colleagues away, adding that the motorcyclists overpowered the policeman and allegedly killed him.

The eyewitness said, “The policemen were trying to arrest one of the motorcycle riders shuttling the Cele-Ijesha and Mile 2 areas. It was while the motorcyclist was resisting arrest that other motorcyclists intervened and demanded the release of their colleague’s motorcycle.

“When the policemen refused and tried to drive the motorcyclists away, they refused to back down and stopped the policemen from leaving the spot. Then, one of the policemen tried to scare them away with his gun but they overpowered him and killed him.”

Another eyewitness, who gave his name simply as Dehinde, said the policemen hurriedly left the scene after realising that their colleague had been killed.

He said, “Immediately the policeman was killed, his colleagues who ran away called for reinforcement and by the time they returned, the motorcyclists had fled. They were also seen brandishing different weapons while leaving the scene of the clash.”

The clash caused tension in the area as commuters and traders scampered to safety to avoid being hurt.

Before the clash that resulted in the death of the policeman, it was learnt that a joint team of police and military personnel had, during a raid, seized motorcycles from motorcyclists operating in the area despite the ban on their activities.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, while reacting to the development, said two suspects had been arrested, adding that 41 motorcycles were impounded.

He said, “While enforcing the existing ban on the use of motorcycles in parts of Lagos State, policemen attached to the Isolo Division came under attack from motorcycle riders at Cele Bus-Stop, resulting in the death of an Inspector and serious injury of the Divisional Police Officer.

“Two suspects have been arrested while 41 motorcycles were impounded. The Lagos State Police Command will not be deterred from carrying out its mandate of enforcing duly established laws.

“Also, people should stop peddling fake news as no gun was snatched during the attack.

“Citizens are urged to remain law-abiding, as riders and passengers alike arrested on prohibited routes will face the law.

“Above all, any form of attack on policemen will no longer be tolerated.”

News

Mohbad: Sam Larry Now in Our Custody, Police Confirm

Published

14 mins ago

September 29, 2023

Eric

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested controversial Lagos socialite, Balogun Eletu, aka Sam Larry, over an ongoing investigation into the circumstances leading to the death of the singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, aka Mohbad.

The Lagos State Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the development to The Punch in a late Thursday night telephone interview.

“Yes, Balogun Eletu aka Sam Larry is now in our custody. He is currently assisting with the ongoing investigation,” Hundeyin said.

The police had earlier invited Sam Larry and singer, Azeez Fashola aka Naira Marley, for questioning over Mohbad’s demise.

The police, last week, also confirmed that pathologists had concluded the autopsy conducted on Mohbad, while they await the result.

He said, “Autopsy has been concluded. Awaiting results.” This development followed the exhumation of Mohbad by a combined team of the Nigeria Police Force and health officials.

The police had also arrested the nurse who reportedly injected the deceased singer before his demise on Tuesday, September 12.

The Punch

News

Kaduna: Tribunal Affirms Sani’s Election, Dismisses PDP’s Petition

Published

14 hours ago

September 28, 2023

Eric

The Kaduna State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Kaduna has dismissed petition brought by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the 2023 election, Isah Ashiru, against the victory of Governor Uba Sani of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

However, in a dissenting judgment of two against one, delivered on Thursday, a three-member panel headed by Justice Victor Oviawie dismissed the petition on the ground that the pre-hearing notice was filed out of time, and therefore deemed to be abandoned.

The tribunal chairman and another member held that the appeal brought by PDP and Ashiru against the dismissal of their petition at the preliminary stage by the first and second defendants was not meritorious because the filing of the pre-hearing notice was abandoned and out of time, and therefore had dealt the entire petition a fatal blow.

The tribunal, however, noted that if the petition had not been dismissed for lack of merit, it would have ordered a supplementary election in 22 polling units within 90 days in the substantive judgment.

Senator Sani, during the election polled a total of 730,001 votes to defeat his closest rival, Ashiru of the PDP, who scored 719, 196 votes.

The Labour Party (LP) candidate, Jonathan Asake, came third with 58,283 votes, while Suleiman Hunkuyi of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) scored 21,405 votes.

While the Labour Party and NNPP accepted the outcome of the election, the PDP and its candidate rejected the results, alleging that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the wrong candidate winner of the election.

Besides, the PDP and Ashiru alleged that there were massive irregularities and manipulation of results in favour of Governor Ubah in some local governments by INEC. According to them, the APC candidate did not score the highest number of valid votes cast in the election and ought not to have been returned winner of the election by INEC.

In June 2023, PDP and Ashiru, however, filed a petition at the election petition tribunal to challenge the election of Governor Uba.

At the last sitting of the court on September 3rd, all parties presented their final written addresses before the tribunal, with APC’s legal team led by a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Bayo Ojo (SAN), arguing that the petitioners had helped in proving he won the election free and fair, pointing in particular to the admission of a star witness for the petitioner, Bonett Gwazah, a senior system analyst in the VR/ICT department of INEC in Kaduna State.

News

NiMET Alerts FCT, Edo, 23 States of 48-Hour Downpour

Published

22 hours ago

September 28, 2023

Eric

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency has notified the residents of the Federal Capital Territory, Edo, Kwara, and 22 other states of 48-hour downpour beginning on Thursday.

The bulletin reads: “Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected within the forecast period (Thursday 28th and Friday 29th, September 2023) over parts of Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau, Borno, Adamawa, Taraba, Kaduna, Niger, Nasarawa, Kogi, Enugu, Edo, Delta, and Bayelsa.

Other States are: “Abia, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ebonyi, Kwara, Benue State and the Federal Capital Territory.”

The agency said other parts of the country will experience light to moderate rainfall.

On the likely impact of the rains, NiMet warned: “The expected moderate to heavy rainfall is expected to cause some flash flooding over their areas of occurrence.

“Strong winds should accompany the rains with the strongest winds expected over parts of Adamawa, Borno, Gombe, Bauchi, Yobe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Kebbi State.”

The agency cautioned residents against driving through surface runoff waters, as they have strong undercurrents.

It identified slippery road surfaces and reduced visibility as other hazards that may be triggered by the downpour.

The Punch