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Court restrains Uzodimma, others from demolishing Imo market

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Court restrains Uzodimma, others from demolishing Imo market

The Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, and the Central Market Complex Development and Investment Company, Donez Global Services Ltd, Joe Jonny Joyson Enterprises Ltd,  and Nigerian Export-Import Bank have been restrained as defendants either through their agents, servants, assigns, heirs, privies or any other person acting on their behalf from taking any further steps in furtherance of the forceful demolition and ejection of the rightful owners of the land and structures erected on the piece of land known as Central Market Layout, Owerri, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction by the applicants.

Speaking to newsmen on Thursday, Dr. Christian Nwadigo, who spoke on behalf of the plaintiffs’/landowners’ legal team, said the plaintiffs/applicants, who are, Incorporated Board of Trustees of Rhema Life Ministry International, Sunway Global Properties Ltd, Zero-One Global Properties Ltd, Ekpereamaka Jessica Nwankwo and Nwankwo Emmanuel were issued with a certificate of occupancy by the same Imo State Government who was forcefully trying to acquire the land without recourse to the issuance of the certificate of occupancy issued by it through the Ministry of Land, Survey and Urban Planning.

He urged the state government to restrain from further using her agents to demolish the structures at the piece of land known as Central Market Layout Owerri, located at Umuohiadagu, Nekede, Owerri West Local Government Area.

He said the rightful holders of the certificate of occupancy are the plaintiffs. “We have written to the governor, Attorney General, Commissioner of Police, and Commissioner of Land among others to notify them of the court order.”

Nwadigo called on the Imo State Government to respect the court order by restraining from taking further steps pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.

When According to Metro visited the office of the Ministry of Lands, Survey and Urban Planning, a top official met declined to speak, saying as civil servant he was not permitted to speak to the media. All efforts made to speak to the media officer of the ministry proved abortive.

When our correspondent called the Commissioner for Information, Public Orientation and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, he said he would get back to According to Metro on the court order but called back later to ask our correspondent to speak to the General Manager, Owerri Capital Development Authority.

But when we called the OCDA GM, he picked up and hung up the phone when he heard the call was from According to Metro. Several calls put to him did not connect as of the time of filing the report.

 

Be magnanimous in victory, ex-Bayelsa LP gov candidate urges Diri

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Be magnanimous in victory, ex-Bayelsa LP gov candidate urges Diri

The former governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Bayelsa State, Udengs Eradiri, has called on Governor Douye Diri to be magnanimous in victory following the affirmation of his election by the Supreme Court.

Eradiri, a former President of the Ijaw Youths Congress, congratulated the Bayelsa State Governor and urged him to resist the temptation of sidelining his perceived opponents in the distribution of the dividends of democracy in the state.

In a statement on Monday, Eradiri said that with the affirmation by the apex court on the outcome of the Bayelsa governorship election, all litigation had come to an end. He called on all stakeholders to work with the governor to move the state forward.

Eradiri, who contested Diri’s victory up to the Appeal Court and decided against taking his case to the Supreme Court, assured the people of the state that he would engage the governor and his administration only with constructive criticism.

While urging the governor not to witch-hunt political opponents, he tasked him with addressing the issues of state development with all seriousness and formulating policies and programmes that would tackle the problems of the state.

He stated, “All involved in the last election have fought a good fight. All the litigations have now been resolved with the final judgement of the Supreme Court affirming the election of Governor Douye Diri. My team and I congratulate the governor of our state on his victory.

“It is now time for all stakeholders in the state to come together and work with the governor to move the state forward. There should be no room for politics of bitterness, and we also urge the governor to be magnanimous in victory.

“We call on Governor Douye Diri to unite the state and avoid the temptation of sidelining perceived enemies in the governance of the state. The governor must approach the issues of governance with the seriousness they require.

“Bayelsa remains grossly underdeveloped despite our vast resources, and we urge the governor to judiciously utilise the enormous Commonwealth to address Bayelsa’s fundamental developmental challenges.”

He added, “We will continue to engage the governor on his policies and programmes, actions and inactions, and constructively criticise issues related to the development, growth, and progress of Bayelsa State. This is the only state we have, and all of us must contribute our quota to develop it.”

Commuters lament as fuel scarcity jacks up fares in Lagos

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Commuters lament as fuel scarcity jacks up fares in Lagos

Residents in Lagos State have lamented the hike in fares following the increase in the fuel price in the country.

According to Metro gathered that the fare hike had left many commuters stranded and frustrated during daily rush hours.

Speaking with our correspondent on Thursday, the commuters said the development had affected their cost of living including transport.

Explaining how the hike in transport cost has affected her, Damilola, a Lagos resident, said, “The fuel scarcity has affected everyone in one way or the other. Before the hike, commuting from Ikeja to Yaba was N500, but now it’s N700. Now, when I’m going out, I have to be sure of where I’m going and be sure that who I’m going to meet is around so I won’t waste my time, energy, and money.

“The government should ensure the availability of fuel and diesel. There’s always traffic every day due to fuel scarcity and this affects people’s productivity.

“As a business owner, I now have to add the cost of transport to the cost of goods, and this makes them more expensive. I even heard that some people sleep in their offices during the week and go home on weekends. It’s that bad.”

A 400-level student of the University of Lagos currently doing her internship, identified as Esther, also explained her challenges since the fuel hike started.

“Before I started my IT, I already knew that I’d spend a lot on transport because my house is far from where I’m interning. So, I had saved up some money. But when the hike came, it caused an imbalance in my life because I had to start looking for more money. I had to take up more jobs to get more income and prevent myself from being stranded. Alternative transport would be trekking and that’s out of it.

“Living in Nigeria, you get used to these things, but the government should look into solutions for it. Rather than focusing on unnecessary things, their focus should be on finding lasting solutions to this issue of fuel scarcity because it is something that affects everyone including the government.

Favour, an intern in another organisation, also expressed displeasure with the state of things regarding transport.

“I live in Gbagada and work at the Airport Road side of Lagos. Earlier this year, I spent between N800 and N1000 on transport daily, but since the hike, I now spend about N1,400 and N1,600.

“It is as a result of the fuel scarcity, the government should do something about it”, she added.

When asked about the impact of the hike in transport cost, a commuter who pleaded anonymity said she had no choice but to pay whatever amount it was as she had to get to work. She wished that the government and employers would consider the extra costs and there would be an increment in wages and salaries.

Commuters are not the only ones feeling the brunt, motorists also have their share of challenges.

A motorist at Berger park identified as Mr Bakare, told our correspondent about the impact of the fuel scarcity on his business. According to him, business has been down because people only go out when they need to.

“I’ve been in this park since morning but there are no passengers because everyone is managing what they have, and no one is going out.

“Nigeria has refineries, so why are we suffering from fuel scarcity? The government, the NNPC and marketers should work on a lasting solution to this issue because everyone is suffering,” he said.

A tricycle rider, Joseph, lamented how he had to suffer for extra costs incurred while buying fuel.

“I have to wait for two to three hours to buy fuel and when I do, I have to pay extra to buy in a keg. Fuel is already expensive at N700 – N850 per litre, and I still pay extra to buy in a keg, yet I can’t increase my cost because passengers don’t want to pay extra. They would rather trek further to get it cheaper,” he bemoaned.

Amotekun example of transformative power of state-level security

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Amotekun example of transformative power of state-level security

The Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has assured that the South West Security Network also known as Amotekun has come to stay in Ondo State and will be funded to improve its operations.

The governor also declared his support for the creation of state police in all the states of the federation.

He said state police was long overdue in Nigeria, insisting that the time had come for the creation of state police in Nigeria as part of the critical solutions to security challenges in the country.

Aiyedatiwa stated this at the Annual General Conference of the Nigeria Bar Association at the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos.

This was contained in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Ebenezer Adeniyan, on Monday.

According to the statement, the governor, who was the chairman of the event, delivered a lecture at the Breakout Session on Ondo State, tagged: “Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu Leadership series: Is state police a solution to national insecurity?”

He said, “The centralised policing structure, once envisioned as the protector and servant of the people, has proven inadequate in the face of the complex and evolving security challenges of our time. It has failed to shield us from the marauders who strike fear into the hearts of our citizens. It is limited in its capacity to bring to justice those who have turned our highways into death traps and our farmlands into killing fields.

“Interestingly, a glimmer of hope emerged from the heart of Ondo State, with the birth of the Western Nigeria Security Network, known as Amotekun Corps. Under the visionary leadership of my late Principal, and former Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, CON, in collaboration with his fellow governors in the South-West, this groundbreaking home-grown initiative evolved. Amotekun has soared to unprecedented heights, becoming a shining example of the transformative power of state-level security.

“Amotekun Corp’s lofty journey has been one of remarkable achievements and unwavering resilience. Our brave men and women have scaled the most daunting challenges, confronting terrorists, bandits and kidnappers with unwavering courage. They have forged deep connections with our communities, earning the trust and respect of the very people they serve.”

 

The governor lauded the NBA leadership for organising the session, calling on other states of the federation to replicate the Amotekun model ahead of the establishment of state police.

In his remarks, the Commander of Amotekun in Ondo State, Akogun Adeleye, reeled out the achievements of the security outfit in recent times and commended Aiyedatiwa for continuing with the legacy of his predecessor in the adequate funding of the agency.

Man, 30, arrested for allegedly defiling seven-year-old girl

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Man, 30, arrested for allegedly defiling seven-year-old girl

A 30-year-old man identified as Chinonso Nwaebonyi, has been arrested by security operatives for allegedly defiling a seven-year-old girl in Awka, Anambra State capital.

Nwaebonyi, a native of Izzi community in Ebonyi State, was apprehended after the mother of the seven-year-old reported the incident to the Anambra State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare in Awka.

This was disclosed in a statement on Thursday, by Ms Chidimma Ikeanyionwu, the media aide to the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo.

Ikeanyionwu said the suspect, on interrogation by security operatives, had earlier denied the allegation, but later confessed to committing the said crime but “only once”.

The statement read in part, “According to the seven-year-old, she, with her twin brother usually go to the compound after theirs to play since the holiday started. It was at the place that the suspect started defiling her.

“She stated that the suspect had had carnal knowledge of her for about five times which was always on Mondays and Tuesdays.

“On how the mother got to know of the incident, the seven-year-old’s mother said she got to know one of the days she came back from work to bathe her kids and discovered that her daughter’s private region was swollen.

“On inquiry, she was briefed on what had been going on and she quickly went to the next compound to complain to the guardians of the suspect after which she took her daughter to a pharmacy before coming to the ministry.

“Meanwhile, the suspect, who had earlier denied the allegation, later confessed to committing the said crime but only once.”

On interrogation, the suspect said he never forced the girl, but only asked her to raise her clothes and lie down on the ground.

It was gathered that the seven-year-old survivor and her twin brother were born to her parents after 10 years of childlessness.

As of the time of this report, the suspect had been handed over to the police where he would be interrogated and charged to court.

While reacting to the development, Obinabo said the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, decried the high rate of child abuse in the state despite efforts to bring it to the barest minimum and vowed that anyone caught involved in such act won’t go unpunished.

“The governor thanks Ndi Anambra for always bringing such dastardly acts to the attention of the state government and stated that his government will not relent until child abuse is ended in the state,” she added.

In 2015, the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, which outlawed all forms of violence against women and girls, including rape, defilement, female circumcision and forceful ejection was enacted and offenders, on conviction, face life imprisonment or maximum of 14-year jail term, depending on the age of the offender and type of violence committed.

Several persons have been arrested in Anambra State on offences ranging from rape and defilement and many cases are at various courts waiting for prosecution.

Party leadership to meet Alia, Akume loyalists today

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Party leadership to meet Alia, Akume loyalists today

The National Working Committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress will today meet with Benue senators, House of Representatives members, and stakeholders of the party in the state to resolve the lingering feud between loyalists of Governor Hyacinth Alia and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume

For over a year, the Benue chapter of the APC has been balkanised and embroiled in crisis by political gladiators fighting for control of the party.

While Austin Agada led the Akume’s faction of the party, Benjamin Omakolo was in charge of the Alia faction.

The National Deputy Organising Secretary of the APC, Nze Chidi Duru, disclosed on Monday in an interview that the party leadership would meet with many of the aggrieved members and relevant stakeholders at the national headquarters of the APC on Tuesday.

He said, “I don’t know about that (sanctions). The party has not discussed anything about them. But I know we are having a meeting with the stakeholders of Benue tomorrow. In particular, we will be meeting with senators and House of Reps members from the state by 10 am.

“After that, there will be a meeting with the (newly installed) Benue APC caretaker committee that was put in place. The second meeting will be at 2 pm at the party secretariat in Abuja.

“As earlier said, I am not aware of this issue you raised. I only know we are having a meeting to discuss with Benue APC stakeholders on Tuesday.”

The political crisis in Benue APC took another dimension last Wednesday when the NWC announced the dissolution of the Agada-led executives loyal to Akume.

In its place, the ruling party immediately inaugurated a seven-man caretaker committee to take over the party affairs at the state level for six months.

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Rivers fishermen continue protest over colleague’s death

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Rivers fishermen continue protest over colleague’s death

Protesting fishermen have blocked the creek which allows access to the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas boats conveying staff members to its operational base in Bonny Island, Rivers State.

This came after the police teargassed them from barricading the company’s entrance where they laid siege on Monday and Tuesday at the entrance of the NLNG corporate headquarters along Amadi-Ama in Port Harcourt following the death of their colleague, Precious Imabibo. The company alleged that the fisherman drowned after a speed boat belonging to it destroyed their boats and fishing nets in January.

According to Metro reports that the protesters used five large wooden canoes to block the Amadi-Ama creek thereby preventing the company’s boats from accessing the Port Harcourt to Bonny routes.

The protesters, who are members of the fishermen’s association from Amadi-Ama, Koku-ama, Teria-ama and Marine base in Port Harcourt, had mounted the barricade in continuation of their protest to demand compensation for the family of their late colleague.

They claimed that their boats and fishing nets were destroyed leading to the death of the 27-year-old Precious.

The fishermen and some sympathisers had embarked on a two-day protest where they sealed the entrance to the corporate headquarters of the NLNG earlier this week but were forced to flee after a team of armed policemen teargassed them, seizing their chairs and canopies.

Speaking to According to Metro on Thursday, one of the fishermen, Albert Paul, expressed annoyance that since the death of their member, the company had not shown concern by reaching out to the family.

Paul further said they resorted to blocking the creek on Wednesday after the police dispersed them with teargas on the second day of the protest at the entrance of the company’s corporate headquarters at Amadi-ama in Port Harcourt.

Paul said, “Since the man died, the NLNG has not come to a roundtable to discuss the matter properly. Now, in the course of our protest at the NLNG gate, they decided to use the police and every other thing to pursue us.

“The NLNG has not seen the family till now to engage them on this issue, that is why we now blocked the river. And since then, we have not heard anything from the NLNG.

“We are demanding our rights and the protest was peaceful but the police came to pursue us. So we are calling on the state and federal governments to see the need to prevail on the look into our demands.”

Similarly, another fisherman simply identified as Tamunokuro said they would continue the barricade at the creek without resorting to any form of violence.

He said, “We, all the fishermen’s associations from Amadi-ama, Kera-ama, Marine base to Kokurama, came together to block the creek, but we are not causing any problem.

“We only block the river for them not to pass. We are not at the NLNG jetty, just the river until they come up with a positive reply.”

Our reporter reports that following the blockade, it will be difficult for some staff members of the NLNG and their visitors who usually ply the routes with the company’s boats to do so.

The NLNG had in a statement by its General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Andy Odeh, said it was aware of the protest, saying the relevant stakeholders were being engaged towards an amicable resolution of the issue.

Odeh further said the NLNG placed a priority on the safety and care of its people and host communities, even as he called for calm while awaiting the outcome of the Nigeria Police probe into the matter.

The two-paragraph statement entitled, ‘Protest At the NLNG Corporate Head Office’, reads, “Nigeria LNG Limited is aware of a recurrence of a protest at its Corporate Head Office in Port Harcourt by a group claiming to represent the family in an incident allegedly involving an NLNG chartered passenger boat along the Amadi Creek in January 2024.

“NLNG confirms that relevant stakeholders are being engaged towards an amicable resolution. The Company places a premium on the safety and care of its people and host communities, and calls for calm while awaiting the outcome of the Nigeria Police probe into the matter.”

Stop meddling in LP affairs, Abure warns Otti

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Stop meddling in LP affairs, Abure warns Otti

The crisis rocking the Labour Party deepened on Tuesday when the LP leadership warned Governor Alex Otti of Abia State to focus on governance and cease interfering in the administration of the party.

The National Chairman of the LP, Julius Abure, issued the warning at a press conference held in Abuja.

Abure lamented that it was bad enough for the party to endure criticism and persecution from those seeking to tear it apart, without having to contend with its chieftains, members, and stakeholders following the same path.

The LP national chairman’s anger stemmed from a recent meeting with Otti, where the Abia governor stated his intention to convene a National Executive Committee meeting on August 31 to ‘dissolve the National Executive Council, State Executive Council, Local Government Executive Council, and Ward Executive Council’ on the purported grounds that their tenures had expired.

But Abure rejected this, stating that it was not within the governor’s purview to make such decisions.

Consequently, he announced to journalists on Tuesday that the National Working Committee of the party has established a disciplinary committee to henceforth sanction any erring members or bigwigs who make decisions that could undermine the party.

He said, “The National Working Committee also notes that assuming without conceding that the tenure of the current NWC has even expired, we must state clearly that it is not the responsibility of Dr. Alex Otti, as the governor of Abia State, to convene an NEC meeting to set up a caretaker committee. It is still the responsibility of the national chairman and the national secretary of the party to convene such a meeting.

“Secondly, it is the responsibility of INEC to officially communicate to the party in writing if it has objections to the conduct of the convention and indeed to inform the leadership that its tenure has expired. We want to appeal to our colleagues to concentrate on governance and allow us to handle party affairs.

“Consequently, the national leadership states clearly that it will not hesitate to discipline any member who is not ready to obey the party constitution and the lawful directives of the leadership. The national leadership hereby states unequivocally that there is no vacuum in the leadership of our party.

“The Labour Party is different from other political parties in that it is not controlled by one man, woman, or leader; neither is it a party that can be dominated by one person. It is a party for the generality of the people. The party’s outlook made it possible for people like Dr. Alex Otti to use the platform and win in 2023 after attempting and failing in APC, PDP, and even APGA.”

Continuing, Abure said that Otti’s argument was allegedly based on the position of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that the tenures of the current NWC and other grassroots leaders had expired.

However, the LP chair disclosed that until the recent omission of the party from INEC discussions with political parties, there had been no rift with the commission.

“Therefore, for any person(s), group, or agency to speculate that the tenures of the current executives have expired is not only mischievous but a deliberate attempt to destabilise the party. Apart from the fact that a Federal High Court in Abuja has already validated the National Convention held on March 27, other persons have challenged the convention of the party.

“It is therefore established in our laws that once cases are pending in our courts, parties are to maintain the status quo to prevent further harm to the party. INEC is expected not to descend into the arena of conflict but to continue with its neutrality and work cordially with the recognised leadership of the party until the courts state otherwise,” he said.

Lagos traders allege harassment, petition govt

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Lagos traders allege harassment, petition govt

A group of traders from the Aguiyi Ironsi International Market Traders Association in Ladipo, Mushin, Lagos State, have petitioned the Lagos State Government over alleged harassment, intimidation, and threats to their lives by the market’s executives and task force committee.

This was contained in a petition dated July 25, 2024, addressed to the office of the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and obtained by According to Metro on Thursday.

In the petition signed by their lawyer, Liborous Oshoma, the traders claimed that they had been in the market for over a decade and had participated in the previous elections to select their market leaders.

They, however, lamented over issues arising from the election of the market executive which led to the issuing of identity cards to traders.

The traders accused the executive, led by Mr. Chukwuma Onyebinamma aka Ikukuoma, of conspiring to disenfranchise them and manipulate the upcoming election.

“The current chairman, Onyebinamma, to prolong his tenure, has now decided and further imposed it on members of the association that only owners of the Identity Cards would be accepted as valid voters during the upcoming election and that only the said owners of ID cards would be allowed entrance to attend meetings held by the association, a decision believed to be favourable to his administration.

“Concerns have been raised about the potential for manipulation, as several individuals reported issues during registration where unknown persons were already registered using their shop numbers.”

While noting that the existing constitution of their association made no provision for voting solely through ID cards, the traders explained that elections were conducted by visiting each shop and allowing the rightful owners to cast their votes thereby ensuring a fair and transparent process.

The traders alleged that the introduction of the ID card had led to harassment, intimidation, and physical assault by the task force committee, adding that the executive selectively issued the ID cards to their supporters while withholding them from non-supporters.

They also claimed that the individuals enforcing the use of the ID cards reportedly wield machetes, intimidate and physically assault traders in the market.

They said the most recent of the incidents occurred on July 18, 2024, when some of the members of the association were denied access during their monthly meeting despite identifying themselves.

“One of them in an attempt to clarify that he had not received the identity card which he had already paid for was attacked by one individual who forcefully removed and confiscated his medicated eyeglasses, which aid his vision.

The complainants revealed that several petitions concerning these events had been consistently filed to the appropriate authorities responsible for peace and orderliness, but they had repeatedly been compromised.

The traders urged the Lagos State Government to initiate a comprehensive investigation into the matter and ensure that peace and security were maintained within the market and society. They also requested the prosecution of those indicted in the investigation.

Reacting, Onyebinamma denied the allegations, saying the use of ID cards was binding by the constitution.

He added that the decision was agreed on by members of the association.

He said, “According to our constitution, what makes you a member of the association is the payment of annual dues. The association takes money from there and does the ID cards. This is what makes you a member. All of us agreed and people paid. And we started last year September that anyone who did not pay the dues would not attend our meeting. I have the ID cards of my successors and this has been the practice in the market.

“Also, we don’t use ID cards for elections, what we use is a voter’s card, and once you have your ID card after paying your annual dues, you will be eligible to get a voter card to vote in an election. I was also not aware of what happened when the machete was used at the gate. It was my task force chairman who came to report to me that it was some members of the group of people against my administration who brought it to the market. The task force in the market only uses canes, not machetes.”

Moghalu quits APC, submits resignation letter

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Moghalu quits APC, submits resignation letter

Dr George Moghalu, a foundation member and former National Auditor of the All Progressives Congress, has formally resigned his membership of the ruling party.

Moghalu’s resignation was detailed in a letter addressed to his Uruagu Ward 1 chairman in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State, a copy of which was made available to According Online on Tuesday.

A copy of the letter, titled ‘Resignation of Membership of the APC’, was also forwarded to his state and local government chairmen.

Although the former Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority did not indicate his next destination, he cited personal reasons for his decision.
The resignation follows months of speculation and repeated denials regarding Moghalu’s plans to leave the party.

He wrote, “I bring you the good wishes of my dear family and wish to formally notify you of my decision to resign my membership of the APC with effect from today, 26 August 2024.

“Please accept this as my personal decision. It is my utmost desire and expectation that we will continue to maintain the cordial relationship that we have built together over the years.

“I wish you and all the members of the party the very best. Please accept, as always, the assurance of my best regards.”

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