The Harbingerngr News

TRADERS of Auto Spare Parts and Machinery Dealers Association, ASPAMDA, have called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State to dissolve the interim administration of the market and organise a democratic process that will usher in elected officers, in line with court judgment to avoid impending bloodbath in the market. The traders, under the aegis of Coalition of Political Parties in ASPAMDA, COPPIAL, accused the interim government, led by Mr. Sunny Igboanuzue, of resorting to intimidation and harassment of members. Thousands of traders in the market located at the International Trade Fair Complex along Badagry Expressway, staged a peaceful protest round the market to press home their demands for peace in the market. James Umeji, who addressed the media on behalf of the association, yesterday, said: “On November 28, 2018, the High Court of Lagos presided over by Justice Ogunjobi in delivering  judgment, ordered the then President, Daniel Oforkansi, to vacate office immediatel...

Revd. Father Matthew Hassan Kukah THE Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, said, yesterday, that democracy and dictatorship cannot coexist, noting Nigeria was treading a dangerous path because young people are feeling disempowered. Kukah, who spoke at an event organised by The Kukah Centre and Open Society Initiative for West Africa, OSIWA, in Abuja, said: “This is a dangerous path we are treading. Our young people are feeling disempowered.  ‘’We are faced with a nation that is consuming its own children, we are faced with the prospects of an uncertain future. It is impossible, even the worst enemy of Nigeria would never have contemplated that this is where we will be.’’ Kukah said the 2023 elections would give Nigerians another opportunity to think of the mistake they had made. He said: “Democracy is not an exercise undertaken by good men and women, which is what Nigerians have always fallen victim to — that we are looking for holy men, men of integrity, men of digni...

FIVE prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, were, yesterday, feared dead when a vehicle conveying them to the northern part of the country for the Batch B 2021 orientation course was involved in an accident in the nation’s capital. It was gathered that the tragedy occurred around 2:00 am along the Abaji/Kwali axis of the ever-busy Abuja-Lokoja highway, causing a gridlock that lasted for several hours. Though details of the affected prospective corps members could not be ascertained at press time, the NYSC management has confirmed the incident. The scheme’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs Adenike Adeyemi, in a release last night, condoled with the governments and people of Akwa-Ibom and Imo states over the tragic incident. She said: “It is with a deep sense of sorrow that the Director-General, management and the entire NYSC family commiserate with the families of five prospective corps members that lost their lives in a motor accident at about 2 am t...

By Abimbola Oloyede & Iyabode Ishola ACE Comedienne, Damilola Adekanya , also known as Princess, has identified two other suspects, who allegedly, sexually harassed her 14-year-old foster child. During her evidence in court, Princess had narrated before the Lagos Special Offences Court how Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju Omiyinka, aka Baba Ijesha allegedly raped her 14-year-old foster daughter in her residence. The matter, however, took a new twist when the defence team led by Babatunde Ogala, SAN, during cross-examination confronted Princess with a report she had made at the police station accusing one of her neighbours, Damola Adekola, of sexually harassing her daughter. The defence team also confronted Princess with an allegation she had made against her gateman accusing him of exposing himself indecently to her daughter. When asked why the first suspect, Adekola, was arrested by the police, Princess confirmed that it was in connection with an allegation by her daughter that he had ...

Chairman, LASIEC, Justice Ayotunde Philips. ...As law firm petitions LASIEC over attempt  to substitute Igando vice-chairman   TWO men, Adelana Adesegun, 47, and Yusuf Olayinola, 33, who allegedly invaded the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission, LASIEC’s office, during last Saturday’s local government elections, were, yesterday, arraigned before a Lagos Magistrates' Court, sitting in Ebute-Metta, Lagos. The defendants were arraigned on a count charge bordering on invasion and disruption, preferred against them by the Police. The Prosecuting Counsel, Mr. Augustine Nwabuisi, attached to State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Panti, Yaba, told the court that the defendants conducted themselves in a disorderly manner to commit the offence. He said the incident took place on Saturday, July 24, 2021, at about 8:21pm, in the Somolu area of Lagos State. Nwabuisi said: “The defendants conducted themselves, disorderly and invaded LASIEC's office at Somolu, Lagos St...

Cross section of the Lagos State Local Government chairmen, during their inauguration. By Idowu Ajigboteso  LAGOS State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has tasked the newly elected chairmen, along with their vice, on performance and to ensure that the electorate enjoy the dividends that true democracy brings.  He said this during the swearing in ceremony of the elected 57 council chairmen, comprising 20 Local Government areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, in the state. The chairmen won last Saturday's council polls, held across the state, which was marred by voter apathy. Sanwo-Olu, speaking at the ceremony, held at the Lagos State House Sports Complex, Alausa, Ikeja, said: “We are witnessing the dawn of a new era in local government administration in Lagos. “Your victory at the polls on Saturday is an affirmation by the people of Lagos State, of their confidence and trust in your competence, capacity and capability to discharge the responsibility of the office ...

*As presiding judge says he'll be investigated for breaching Benin Republic rules By Idowu Ajigboteso THE government of Benin Republic has filed another charges against the leader of Yoruba nation agitators, Chief Sunday Adeyemo Igboho. As the presiding chief judge said that Igboho was not arrested because he committed an offence. But he was arrested for breaching the rules of Benin Republic and he should be investigated. One of Igboho’s lawyers, Ibrahim Salami, said this during an interview with BBC Yoruba; adding that Igboho was confronted with another charges when he appeared in court on Monday. He stated that the presiding judge ordered that Igboho should be remanded in Beninese police custody to allow police conduct a thorough investigation into another charges levied against him, which included illegal migration, connivance with immigration officers and an attempt to cause civil unrest. According to Salami: “The judge wanted to know how Sunday Igboho entered into the Benin R...

*Bandits abduct monarch in Kaduna Over 60 passengers travelling to Kano from Sokoto by Sokoto State Transport Authority buses were reportedly abducted by bandits along the Sokoto-Gusau highway, on Sunday. While the Zamfara State Police said a bus was hijacked with 11 passengers on board, the Sokoto State Transport Authority said they were still compiling the manifest of passengers, to have the exact number of passengers in the vehicles. A motorist, Mohammed Yusuf, who narrowly escaped the abduction, said the bandits blocked the road near Dogon Karfe around 3 pm and kidnapped all the passengers in the three buses. Yusuf stated: “They (bandits) suddenly came out of their hiding and started shooting in the air, thereby forcing the vehicles to stop. “They abducted all the passengers in the three vehicles belonging to the Sokoto State Transport Authority, as well as the drivers.” Yusuf added that when the bandits disappeared into the bush with the victims, the other motorists, including him...

Princess and Baba Ijesha. ACE Comedienne, Damilola Adekanya, also known as Princess, yesterday, narrated before an Ikeja Special Offences Court, Lagos, how embattled Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju Omiyinka, called Baba Ijesha, molested her foster daughter at her residence. Baba Ijesha, who is currently on bail, is standing trial on a six-count charge of sexual assault by penetration, indecent treatment of a child and attempted sexual assault. The defendant was alleged to have committed the offence between 2013 and 2014, on April 19, 2021, around Joseph Harrison Street and No 13 Wegbo Street, Iwaya, Yaba, Lagos. Princess, while being led in evidence by the state prosecutor, Olayinka Adeyemi, gave an account of the events that led to her discovery of the sexual assault. Recollecting part of events that took place before the incident, Princess said: “I had gathered my family together to watch a movie I acted, alongside Baba Ijesha. But, surprisingly, when my little girl saw Baba Ijesha in th...

Aare Afe Babalola. — Afe Babalola FOUNDER of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, ABUAD, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, has warned that unless there is a new constitution before the 2023 general election, Nigeria will continue to recycle failed leaders. Babalola, who said this while speaking as a special guest of honour at the 5th Ife Institute of Advanced Studies, Summer Institute Programme, taking place at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, in Osun State, insisted that the 1999 Constitution remains the biggest problem of the country and that until it is replaced, Nigeria would not be able to make any meaningful progress. Babalola said: “Those who wish this country to remain an indivisible entity, and I am one, must unite to ensure that we replace the present 1999 Constitution with a truly Federal Constitution and a Parliamentary system of government, which is more involving and less expensive. “It is my considered view that a new constitution must be in place before the next election,...

*Supporters insist Igboho committed no offence against Benin Republic *Benin security operatives remove leg chain, hand-cuff *Journalists, supporters barred from courtroom *He’s not under any immigration-related probe, Ilana Omo Oodua insists  *Gani Adams rallies Benin monarchs behind Igboho, says we must stand by him *Afenifere warns FG to stop harassing freedom agitators  *As court releases 48 Yoruba nation agitators BENINESE lawyers were, engaged in a legal tussle over attempt by the Federal Government to get  leader of Yoruba nation agitators, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly called Sunday Igboho, extradited to Nigeria. Igboho's lawyers  insisted that since he (Igboho) did not commit any offence against Benin Republic, he should be set free, arguing that any attempt to send him back to Nigeria will endanger his life, considering invasion of his house in Ibadan by the  Department of State Service, DSS, operatives last month. Prior to the start of proceedings ...

  Sympathizers at one of the killings. A three-month -old baby, a couple and one other were, yesterday afternoon, reportedly shot dead by suspected herdsmen at Ulevkaa community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State. The incident came less than 48 hours after a similar attack on that axis led to the death of two aide workers and six others, including a kinsman of Governor Samuel Ortom. According to an eyewitness, unknown to commuters, the armed militia herdsmen had taken over the Uikpam-Umenger -Gbajimba road waiting for unsuspecting victims. He said: “They saw a commercial Toyota Picnic vehicle heading towards Gbajimba, they pretended to be passengers and waved at the car. When the driver became suspicious of them he increased his speed and made effort to flee. “But the others who hid in front saw that the driver was making effort to run away with his passengers from the trap, they opened fire on the vehicle. “A bullet hit the three-month-old baby on the chest and scattered...