The Harbingerngr News

THE Lagos State government, has disclosed that its Blue Line Rail from Marina-Mile-2 route would commence official commercial operation on Monday, September 4, 2023. The rail system is to be powered electrically. The Managing Director, of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, LAMATA, Abimbola Akinajo, in a chat with newsmen, said: "There will be 12 trips per day stopping at each station for 90 seconds. "The timetable is available on LAMATA and at every station. Passengers will be using a cowrie card for the ride. "The locomotive will be in operation for the next four weeks before the electric system is finally introduced and the tracks energised electrically. "The kick-off operation will run from 6.30 am to 10 am, morning service, and 3 pm to 10 pm, while the service will run from 5.30 am to 10 pm, when fully in operation. The service is expected to carry 175, 000 passengers per day."

•Sets up reconciliation, unity c'ttee FORMER National Leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, yesterday, expressed sadness over the drift within the group and called for urgent restoration to steer it away from the current trajectory. Pa Fasoranti said this during the group's meeting held at his country home, in Akure, Ondo State. He said: "Since I appointed my brother, Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Oba Oladipo Olaitan as acting leader and deputy leader respectively, about three years ago, a lot has happened.  "A noticeable drift away from our core values of consultation, brotherliness and camaraderie and traditional process of conducting the business of the organization, upon which our collegial system of leadership is based, has been severely threatened. "This threat has been further exacerbated by more recent events, culminating in a fracture of the traditional backbone of the organization. "I am sorry to say, witho

A young man identified as ‘Cross,’ from Amankpo Umu-Ezike, Aku, Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State, has been feared killed when masquerade worshippers clashed at Nua community in Aku community. It was gathered that the Divisional Police Officer of Igbo-Etiti Police Division, Chinedu Okike, and other residents of Aku sustained gunshot injuries during the fracas. It was learned that no few than 100 locals were hospitalised following the incident. The spokesperson for the Enugu State Police Command, Daniel Ndukwe, who confirmed the incident said one male suspect has been arrested in connection with the clash, adding that normalcy has been restored in the community. According to an eyewitness, who pleaded for anonymity, the clash occured at Elu-Orie Nua Aku around 4p.m., on Monday.  In his words “The fight started when Odo masquerade worshippers in their numbers accompanied one Odo masquerade called Ugwuishihe to Elu-Orie Nua as tradition demands for final visitation before de

IN a move to resolve the current impasse between the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and the House of Assembly over rejection of 17 cabinet nominees, members of the Governance Advisory Council, GAC, yesterday, held a closed door meeting with the governor and Speaker, Mr Mudashiru Obasa. GAC, which is the apex decision-making body of the All Progressives Congress, APC, is led by Tajudeen Olusi. The meeting, according to a credible source, which was slated for 4pm, was aimed at resolving the dispute. It was not clear at press time if members of the state Assembly were invited. Governor Sanwo-Olu, his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Speaker Obasa, Olusi and GAC members attended the truce meeting. The parties were engaged at a meeting that lasted several hours. As at press time, it could not be confirmed the level of reconciliation reached with Obasa on-behalf of the Assembly members. Obasa, on Tuesday, met with Chairmen of 20 Local Goverment Area and 37 Chairmen of Local Council De

Five stowaways, who sneaked into a Spain-bound vessel, MSC MARTHA, have been rescued by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Beecroft, at the Lagos anchorage. The stowaways are Effiong Okon (44), Ayewuni Daniel (27), Ajagboma Asiko (29), Adebanjo Ayewumi (23), and Christian Joseph (25). Explaining how they were arrested, while handing them over to the Nigeria Immigration Service, yesterday, the Commander, NNS Beecroft, Commodore Kolawole Oguntuga, said: “About 11.50 pm on August 26, while on our normal routine check of vessels that were transiting in and out of Lagos harbour, we received a call from MSC MARTHA  that they observed some unauthorised persons onboard the vessel. “Immediately the information was received, we informed the FALCON EYE centre, which is the maritime Domain Awareness facility that we use in monitoring the entire maritime environment, which gave details of the information that enabled us to get the coordinates of the vessel. “On arrival, our men boarded  MSC M

Residents of Hallelujah Estate in Osogbo, Osun State capital, yesterday, were in agony  as two dogs devour a five-year-old child. The cross breed dogs also descended on the mother after killing the child, injuring her on the buttock before residents in the scanty neighbourhood came to her rescue. It was gathered that the woman and the little girl were walking pass a vacant building in the area when the two dogs emerged and separated mother and child. According to an eyewitness, the dogs killed and devour the child, while the helpless mother struggle in vain to rescue her. Our correspondent learned that the dogs later descended on the mother but for the prompt intervention of some neighbours, who rescued her from the blood-thirsty dogs after biting her several times on the buttock. Another residents, Sodiq Abass, said the dogs were in the building alone for a very long time, adding that the gory incident happened because residents were not always around and it was almost difficult to he

By Rotimi Fasan AT the end of July this year, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said in a nationwide broadcast that Nigeria had been able to save well over a trillion naira following the removal of subsidy on petrol. This was money that would, otherwise, have gone into the dark hole into which the fuel subsidy went. I think it’s fair to say, in the wake of the unbearable suffering Nigerians have been passing through since the end of May that some kind of support (read subsidy) was being enjoyed by Nigerians. It was just that the effect of it was very minimal compared to the amount we are told went into sustaining the oil subsidy bogey. The best part of the subsidy money went into the pockets and bank accounts of shadowy players in the oil sector, including oil marketers that are too quick to make Nigerians groan by their Shylock-like ways.  They are always happy to remind Nigerians that removing oil subsidy is unachievable given our present realities while simultaneously warning of imminent

*We ll clear non-confirmed nominees, if...— Speaker *Party members must be compensated — Lawmaker *It’s unfair to blame Sanwo-Olu — Concerned APC member IT is no  longer news that there is a frosty relationship between Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and members of the House of Assembly. Since the advent of the 4th Republic, the House of Assembly had always given the green light to the executive as far as screening and confirmation of commissioner-nominees are concerned. However, the cold war between the executive and legislative arms of government has led to the lawmakers’ rejection of 17 of the 39 nominees sent by the governor for screening and confirmation. On July 25, Governor Sanwo-Olu submitted 39 names to the House for screening and confirmation as commissioners However, the Assembly led by Mr Mudashiru Obasa, rejected 17 nominees and confirmed 22. While Governor Sanwo-Olu has kept mute on the matter, Speaker Obasa urged those interested in the matter to “approach the

THE Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, yesterday decried the state of the reconstructed Apapa-Oshodi Expressway following its takeover by refuse dumps along the median between Tin Can Port and Mile-2 of the ever-busy dual carriageway. The Minister, who made his feelings on the refuse situation on the road known during inspection of some ongoing federal projects in Lagos, said it was bad to see the expressway being taken over by refuse after huge sums of money had been spent to reconstruct to its present state. Describing the situation as unacceptable, he promised to discuss with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State over the matter. Umahi, who disclosed that all road projects during his tenure as minister would be done with concrete, noted that concrete roads have longer spans. He said: "I am ready to fight with contractors handling federal road projects over concrete technology because of its durability and sustainability". We'll complete Lagos-Ibadan expresswa

Bayelsa State Emergency Management Agency,  BYSEMA, yesterday, warned the public that the food items looted from a warehouse in Yenagoa, the state capital by some residents were unfit for human consumption. The warehouse located in the Kpansia suburb of Yenagoa,  used to house relief materials for 2022 flood victims was invaded and looted by residents on Sunday night. BYSEMA’s Director General, Walamam Igrubia, advised those who pillaged the facility not to consume the items for safety reason. He said: “These items are unfit for human consumption and a responsible, caring government like ours will not give Bayelsans such items as palliatives.”  Igrubia added that as part of preparations for an impending flood this year, he visited the premises and in his presence, remnants of food items, notably rice and garri that were no longer fit for consumption, were cleared from the warehouse and placed outside for disposal the next day. He said: “The remnants, which were swept from the floor and

Four representatives of Osunba families of Akinyemi House, Ojuale compound, Ijegun water side, Imore in Oriade Local Government Area of Lagos State, have threatened to sue their traditional ruler, the Alahun of Imore, if they were not furnished with financial details of money received from buyers of their family land. The families represented by Mukaila Akinyemi, Mukaila Yusuff,  Toyin Badmus and Yisa Buraimo,  wondered why the traditional ruler refused and failed to response to the petition addressed to him and his secretary-in-council, more than two months of the letter on the matter. In the petition dated June 6, 2023 written by their counsel, Mr Abdul Wahab, the representatives of the families argued that equity demands that the traditional ruler need to be accountable to the people.  They maintained that the land sold had been in the possession of the families for many years, including dry and  the swampy areas of Imore town, where their forefathers, children and grand children ha

A middle aged butcher, Zaiyanu Abdullahi, has been arrested by Police in Niger State and charged before a Minna Senior Magistrate's Court for raping a 13-year-old girl. He was accused of harbouring the girl for three months, where she was repeatedly raped along with his friends now at large. He is facing a three-count charge of removing a child from the custody of her parents, unlawful sexually abusing a minor and sexual abuse and exploitation. According to the police prosecutor, Godwin Adamu, the  offences contravened sections 15 (2), 26 (2) and 27 (2) of Niger State child right and protection law 2021 (as amended). “After a thorough  search, the said missing daughter was found to have been living with you in your room at the above address and that while in your room, you Zaiyanu Abdullahi and your friends (names unknown) sexually abused her repeatedly,” the prosecutor narrated. He said the Police immediately swung into action and the suspect arrested while his other accomplices c

... while evading arrest in Lagos *Agency launches manhunt for suspect *Seizes N2.6bn worth of Indian hemp at Tincan Island THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, said, yesterday, that it has launched a manhunt for an alleged Lagos-based notorious drug dealer, Sowunmi Ayodeji Kayode, who is now on the run after ramming his car at an NDLEA officer in his bid to escape arrest when operatives were on a search of his house last weekend. Anti-narcotics officers of the agency, last Friday, stormed the residence of the wanted drug dealer at 2/3, Adetola Ayeni Close, Lekki in Lagos for a search and possible arrest following credible intelligence that he was dealing in illicit drugs in his house. Following the unpleasant development, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd), has directed the deployment of appropriate operational assets of the agency to smoke out the wanted suspect from his hiding.   He also approved adequate medical care for the injured

THE Lagos State Police Command has expressed worry over the fabrication of various types of firearms, which include local and foreign pistols, AK-47 and other assault rifles in Lagos.  This was disclosed by the command boss, Mr. Idowu Owohunwa, during the acting Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun's tour of duty to Lagos, yesterday.  Owohunwa, who noted that Lagos State presented distinctive security challenges on account of its demography and socio-economic interplays, said its internal security space in recent times had been laced with the threats of cultism, armed robbery, kidnapping, murder and sexual and gender-based violence.  He said the command was also confronted with the challenge of dissecting and dealing with the thin line between the civil and criminal dynamics of land disputes, which are also prevalent in the state. Crime profile of the state, according to him, “is further accentuated by the prevalence of illegal firearms proliferation, and illicit drug

AN #EndSARS protester, Emmanuel Peter Odion, aka Hope, has narrated how he was arrested and detained illegally for taking part in the protest then, while he was actually on his way from work. Odion, who thanked God that he did not die in police custody, said he would have been among those to be given the planned mass burial by the Lagos State government. Narrating his ordeal, he said: “My name is Emmanuel Peter Odion. I was arrested by the official of the Lagos State Task Force in Iganmu area of Lagos on October 27, 2020. I was accused of being part of the anti-police brutality protest, which later turned violent after it was hijacked by hoodlums in different parts of the country, where many Nigerians were arrested randomly in the wake of protests. I was  detained illegally for a week in Panti, Yaba and I was taken to court.   “During my arrest, the Iganmu Policemen harassed me that they recognised my face as one of the leader of #EndSARS protests. “On October 20, 2020, after I was arr

National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has warned drug dealers to stop using underaged individual in the illicit business, adding that anyone arrested would be punished. The agency, meanwhile, has denied report that its men obtained N600,000 bribe to free a teenage girl arrested for selling drugs in the state. One Courage Nsirimovu on his Facebook page had said NDLEA operatives were demanding N600,000 to grant bail to a 10-year-old suspect, who was arrested selling drugs. But, NDLEA’s Deputy State Commander in charge of Media and Advocacy, Emmanuel Ikechukwu, said the claim that its men took N600,000 to release a 15-year-old girl arrested for selling cannabis was false and baseless. Emmanuel said it was wrong for people to make baseless allegations against its operatives, adding that the 15-year-old girl was undergoing rehabilitation in the command’s facility. He said: “On August 17, 2023, operatives of NDLEA Rivers State Command arrested one Success Nsikan, female, 15 years old,

A suspected yahoo boy, identified as Victor Ifakachukwu has been arrested in Benin City for allegedly stabbing his girlfriend, whose identity was yet-to-be ascertained. The incident reportedly occurred at 10, Osahon Street, Ogheghe Quarters, off Sapele Road, Benin City, where two blood stained knives were recovered. The suspect was said to have been hospitalised due to severe injuries he sustained during what appeared to be a deadly knife attack suspiciously between him and the girl. Police said the suspect, Ifakachukwu, was being monitored at an undisclosed hospital for him to recover and tell them what happened. The incident reportedly happened on Monday. One blood-stained knife was recovered from the apartment and it was gathered that the incident was reported to police by the suspect’s landlord, one Mr. Emmanuel Momoh. Confirming the incident, yesterday, Police Public Relations Officer, Edo State Police Command, Chidi Nwabuzor, said a full-scale investigation had begun and that det

Victoria Asokere Mrs. Abosede Adelakun, a distressed woman, has expressed concern over her 32-year-old niece Victoria Asokere's disappearance from her flat in Lagos' Mafoluku neighbourhood on August 13, 2023. The  neighbour  expressed  condolences  for  the  incident  that  occurred  on  the  previous  Sunday.  Adelakun said that Victoria had promised to join her later in the church, but she had departed for church before Victoria. She stated that because she rarely misses church services, she grew concerned when she did not see her at the conclusion of the service. But when she returned home and didn't see her niece, tension started to build.  Adelakun claimed Victoria's phone was in the flat when she tried to call her, but the attempt was unsuccessful. According to Adelakun: “She attends the same church with me, First Baptist Church, Mafoluku. She only missed church service when she had much work to do because she is a seamstress. I waited patiently for her to return

A 14-year-old girl, Desola Adeoye, has committed suicide in Shogunle community, in Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area, Lagos. It was gathered that Desola, who has suffered domestic violence in the hands of her father, Sunday Adeoye, and his wife, allegedly drank insecticide to escape torture. Trouble started when Desola returned from her summer school lesson and her step-mother started threatening her, telling her that when her father returns, he would pounce on her. It was learned that Desola, who was worried by the threat, sneaked out of the house and drank the insecticide kept in the house.   She was reportedly rushed to a nearby private hospital where she gave up the ghost.   When her father came back, he quickly retrieved her lifeless body from the hospital, took it back home with the intention of burying her secretly.   His plan was, however, thwarted by police operatives from Shogunle Divisional Police station, who were alerted by neighbours.  A neighbour, who drew the attention

THE Chairman,  Senate  Committee  on Appropriations,  Senator  Olamilekan  Adeola,  APC, Ogun  West, has raised alarm that soldiers of the Nigeria Army operating at checkpoints around Ikeja axis of Lagos State robbed and killed his senior aide, Adeniyi Oluwatosin Sanni, in the early hours of Saturday August 5, 2023. In a statement he personally  signed yesterday,  Senator  Adeola said:  "Recall that the bereaved senator had earlier stated that information available to him on the circumstances indicates that Mr. Sanni was stopped at a checking point around Ojodu- Berger Area of Lagos on his way to his home at Isheri by 'security agents' who asked him to provide the documents of the car he was driving, which he did through a call to his wife who sent all the documents to his phone WhatsApp. ''It was gathered that the wife called a while later and the late Mr. Sanni told him that soldiers are still checking the vehicle’s paper. That was the last she heard from her hus

Five men have been reportedly killed by electricity in Rivers State, while trying to mount a metal frame for hanging billboards in the state. It was gathered that four others involved in the incident have been hospitalised at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. The incident happened at Obiri-Ikwerre area of Rumuosi Community, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state. It was gathered that a team of nine men were mounting the bill board structure when the metal frame touched high-tension cable. It was learned that passersby, who saw the incident intervened and moved the victims to UPTH where the five persons involved were confirmed dead. It was learned that the victims were private businessmen, who were contracted to mount the billboard for a church along the Rumuosi axis, near the Obiri-Ikwerre flyover. Confirming the development, the Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, described the incident as pathetic, saying police have opened investigation into t

 A middle-aged man has been lynched for allegedly attempting to run away with the hand bag of a female sex worker in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The incident happened on Sunday night at Diobu, Port Harcourt City Local Government Area of the state. The suspect, names withheld, was saved from the mob at Ojoto Street in Mile 3 Diobu, where he (suspect) had met with the female sex worker in a brothel on Azikiwe Street, Mile 2, Diobu. It was gathered that the suspected bag snatcher was hosted by a commercial sex worker at the undisclosed brothel in Azikiwe and that the customer had escaped to Ojoto with the lady’s hand bag before he was apprehended by mob. The sex worker, reportedly told the mob, who apprehended the young man that the suspect snatched her bag where she puts her money and ran out of her room shortly after patronising her. She disclosed that she chased after the suspect to recover her bag, but the man jumped into a drainage, and  her screaming attracted the mob, who descende

Gunmen suspected to be bandits have abducted eight members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, along a highway in Zamfara State. The victims were kidnapped on Saturday, while traveling inside AKTC bus from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, to Sokoto State en route Zamfara State, to take part in the mandatory national service when their vehicle was intercepted along a highway in Zamfara. A source in the transport company disclosed this yesterday. The source, who did not want his name mentioned in the report because he was not authorised to speak on the incident, said the corps members were 11 in number but that three escaped from the gunmen.  Apart from the eight corps members, the driver of the bus was also abducted, he said. “The corps members were offloaded (from the bus) and taken into the bush.  The police have recovered the bus. “They left here (Uyo) on Friday, and slept over in Abuja. It was when they were proceeding to Sokoto that they were kidnapped,” he said. He said the incident h

A Magistrate's Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has sentenced a notorious cultist, Blessing Agree, to five years in prison for stealing and an attempt to escape from lawful custody. The accused had been on the wanted list of the Anti-Kidnapping squad of the Bayelsa State Police Command for repeated cases of alleged armed robbery and terrorising suburbs in Yenagoa, the state capital. He was arrested on May 5, 2023. The Anti-Kidnapping squad led by its Commander, Nsimo Benson, after a proper intelligence gathering and detailed information on his complicity in the armed robbery attack on one Omega Bassey along the Samson Siasia Stadium at the Ovom suburb of the state capital, swung into action and arrested the accused. The accused was arraigned on August 9, 2023 on two-count charge of stealing and attempt to escape from lawful custody. Chief Magistrate Stanley Ekelu, in its judgment, sentenced the accused to two years for stealing and three years for attempt to escape from law

A 26-year-old student of the Lagos State University, LASU,  Ademola Timothy, and five others have been reportedly killed in different auto crashes in Ogun State. A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Command , Omolola Odutola, said the accident that claimed the life of the student happened on Tuesday, at 6.45a.m., before Babcock University junction,  on Sagamu -Benin expressway. She said the accident involved a Geon truck with number plate, LAR 730 XB;  a Toyota Sienna ash colour  and a Lexus car  with number plate, BDG 979 HD, blue colour. It was gathered that the driver of the Lexus car driven by Emmanuel Sorunke, drove recklessly, rammed into a moving truck and somersaulted severally while the Toyota Sienna hit the Lexus. The victims were taken to Babcock University Teaching Hospital, where they were pronounced dead by doctors on duty. Public Education Officer of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, Florence Okpe, in a statement said three passeng

By Laolu Elijah SINCE the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi  Adeyemi joined his ancestors on April 22, 2022, all eyes have been on the Oyo Mesi (kingmakers) and the Oyo State Government to release the name of the new person who will mount the keenly contested stool.  Though most Yoruba people are anxiously awaiting the decision of the Oyo Mesi, the indigenes of the ancient Oyo are the most anxious.  They are uncertain about what the future holds for them. At the outset, no fewer than 198 contenders jostled for the coveted and popular stool in Yoruba land. But the number was initially pruned to 65 and then trimmed down to 10 by the Oyo Mesi after a rigorous interview.  Which of the 10 contenders will eventually become the new Alaafin is a million dollar question that is begging for answers. The Oyo Mesi is headed by the Bashorun of Oyo, Chief Yussuf Ayoola. Unbearable silence When Vanguard called the head of all princes in Oyo, Chief Afonja, he simply said the matter is now with the kingm

*Says without legal framework, unresolved crimes‘ll continue to proliferate THE family of the late former Nigerian Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed, has called for the need for victims’ rights legislation in Nigeria. The family expressed discontent with the prosecution of murder suspects  in Nigeria in remembrance of their son and brother, Zackari Muhammed. It will be recalled that 27-year-old Zackari Muhammed, a finance graduate of the University of Canterbury in Kent, met a tragic end in Abuja on August 13, 1993. He was fatally shot. Dr. Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode, who spoke on-behalf of the family, at the 30th anniversary of Zakari Muhammed’s untimely death, held in Lagos, lamented: “Precisely. three decades ago, the life of our cherished brother was cut short. Even though the perpetrators were positively identified, all efforts to prosecute the case failed during the preliminary investigation and arraignment phase.” Recalling the distressing circumstances surrounding Zackari’s t

TWO persons in the early hours of yesterday, lost their lives in separate auto crashes on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. According to the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, the first collision occurred midnight near Heyden Petrol Station and involved two adult males. Spokesperson for FRSC in Ogun State Command, Florence Okpe, disclosed that one person lost his life in the accident, while the second individual emerged unhurt. Okpe said the vehicle involved in the accident was unidentifiable, suggesting a potential hit-and-run case. The deceased’s body was transported to Idera morgue in Sagamu. According to her, “The second accident took place around 04:25a.m, near the toll gate on the Sagamu-Abeokuta route.” Okpe stated that a Mack tipper truck (JBD483ZY) was involved in the crash and appeared to be speeding, resulting in the loss of control. “The probable cause of the solo accident was excessive speed, which led to loss of control and subsequent collision,” explained Okpe. The crash i