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Abiodun, Daniel, others celebrate with Toyin Ashiru at 70

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Abiodun, Daniel, others celebrate with Toyin Ashiru at 70

The Pro Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Olabisi Onabanjo University in Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, Prof Oluwatoyin Ashiru, recently celebrated his 70th birthday with a thanksgiving service at the Church of Nativity, Ikoyi, Lagos; and a reception.

At the church service, Ashiru, who is also the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Tricontinental Oil Services Limited, was joined by his friends, family and colleagues to celebrate the milestone age.

After the service, a reception was held for the birthday boy to wine and dine with his loved ones.

One of the highlights of the event was when Ashiru showcased his dance skills; while the First Lady of Ogun State, Bamidele Abiodun, coordinated the cutting of the cake.

Notable guests at the event include the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun and his wife; Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Noimot Salako-Oyedele; a former governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel and his wife, Olufunke; Chairman of the Odu’a Investment Company Limited and a former Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in the state, Bimbo Ashiru; Managing Director of NG Clearing Limited, Farooq Oreagba; Labour Party’s Lagos State governorship candidate in the 2023 election, Gbadebo Vivour; and the co-chairman of EKO Hospital, Sonny Kuku.

Ashiru, a graduate of Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom, also holds a PhD in Industrial Metallurgy from the University of Birmingham, UK.

The engineer, who holds the chieftaincy title of Otunba Moyegeso of Ijebuland, is happily married, and blessed with children and grandchildren.

I eat once daily – Lagos ’empty pot’ protester

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I eat once daily – Lagos ’empty pot’ protester

Kind-hearted Nigerians have started donating cash gifts to an unidentified female protester, who hit the streets of Lagos on Friday with an empty pot, lamenting the hunger in the land.

Shouting, “Ebi o! Ebi o! (Hunger o! Hunger o!)”, the woman, spotted on Kudirat Abiola Way, Ikeja, asked the government to come to the aid of poor Nigerians and improve the economy.

The protest, part of a broader movement across Nigeria, attracted a large crowd voicing their dissatisfaction with government policies and economic conditions.

Convened by several groups, including the Take It Back Movement, Concerned Nigerians, and Revolution Now, the protesters are demanding a change in government policies and an end to hardship and corruption in governance.

The woman’s empty pot, a symbol of hunger and hardship, resonated with many protesters, who are struggling with inflation, unemployment, and economic instability.

The demonstration in Lagos was one of the many held nationwide, with citizens demanding better governance and accountability from the country’s leaders.

Speaking in a now-viral short video posted by Vanguard on X, the woman said she was an indigene of Ibadan, Oyo State, but had lived in Lagos for over 50 years.

In another viral clip on X, the woman, speaking to an unnamed interviewer, said she could barely afford one meal a day.

Speaking in Yoruba, she said, “I can barely afford to eat once a day. The hunger has become too much. It is unbearable. My children are suffering. There is no money in my pocket. Does this government want to kill us? Overthinking wants to kill me. I can no longer survive. It is too much for me to bear. The government should come to my aid.”

Responding to her cry, several Nigerians offered her financial assistance.

Kicking off the donations was Afrobeat singer Oxlade, who promised to donate N500,000 to the woman.

Oxlade shared her photo on X (formerly Twitter) and announced his intention to give her N500,000.

Checks by our correspondent showed that the donations from several bodies and individuals have almost hit N3.2m as of 6:40 pm on Saturday.

FG approves two new agencies, ignores Oronsaye report

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FG approves two new agencies, ignores Oronsaye report

Months after President Bola Tinubu called for the full implementation of the Stephen Oronsaye, the President alongside the legislative arm of government have continued to push for establishment of a new ministry, agencies and commissions.

A tally done by our correspondent revealed that two new commissions were approved by the President from February 26, 2024 to date.

These two are the South East Development Commission and North West Development Commission.

On February 26, 2024, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga in a post on X (formerly Twitter) announced the decision of the President.

“Twelve years after the Steve Oronsaye panel submitted its report on restructuring and rationalising Federal Government parastatals and agencies and a white paper issued two years after, President Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council today decided to implement the report,” Onanuga wrote.

“Many agencies will be scrapped and many others will be merged, to pave the way to a leaner government,” he said.

The Presidency had since released a list of agencies to be scrapped and those to be merged.

In 2011, former President Goodluck Jonathan set up the presidential committee on the reformation of government agencies chaired by Steven Oronsaye, a former Head of Service of the Federation.

Its terms of reference included, among others, examining the enabling Acts and mandates of all the federal agencies, parastatals, and commissions to determine areas of overlap or duplication of functions.

The committee, in its report, recommended that of the 541 Statutory and Non-Statutory Federal Government Parastatals, Agencies and Commissions, 263 statutory agencies should be reduced to 161, 38 agencies should be abolished, 52 agencies should be merged, and 14 should revert to departments in ministries.

A white paper committee, headed by the then Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, reviewed the report and rejected most of the recommendations of the committee when it submitted its report in 2014.

However, even the accepted recommendations were not implemented until the Jonathan administration left office in 2015.

In 2021, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated two committees to implement the report.

One of the committees headed by a former Head of Service, Bukar Aji, was mandated to review the Oronsaye Report and the government white paper.

The other committee chaired by Amal Pepple was mandated to review MDAs created between 2014 and 2021.

The then Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, in July 2022, set up another white paper committee, headed by Ebele Okeke, to review the report of the Pepple committee. However, the Buhari administration failed to implement the report.

While the discourse on the implementation of the report was ongoing, the National Assembly and successive governments have been creating agencies and institutions, therefore, increasing the cost of governance in the process.

The consequence of the bloated government has been the steady increase in the recurrent expenditure of the Federal Government.

On July 9, 2024, the President approved the creation of a new ministry.

On September 14, 2023, the National Livestock Reforms Committee recommended that Tinubu create a “Ministry of Livestock Resources” to, among other deliverables, reduce the decades-long gory conflict between farmers and nomadic cattle herders.

Former Kano State Governor and Chairman of the All Progressives Congress Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, disclosed this to State House Correspondents shortly after he led the committee in an audience with the President at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.

It formed part of 21 recommendations captured in a document submitted to the President to enhance the Federal Government’s holistic response to the lingering cases of bloodshed.

The document spelt details of the proposed solutions where the committee advocated a reform agenda examining conflict mitigation and resource management.

On Thursday, February 29, 2024, Senate during its plenary passed for Second Reading the Bill to establish the National Assembly Budget and Research Office.

On March 12, lawmakers in the House of Representatives passed for second reading, a bill Sponsored by Uchenna Okonkwo, a lawmaker representing Idemili north and south federal constituency of Anambra state, the bill proposes to establish the bank to “provide financial support, promote investment and foster sustainable development” in the mining sector.

Similarly on the same day, the Senate pushed for first reading three new bills for the establishment of three different Federal Tertiary institutions.

The first was a bill sponsored by a Senator, Khalid Mustapha (Kaduna North) seeking for the establishment of Federal College of Education (Technical) to be situated in Saminaka in Kaduna state.

The second sponsored by Siyako Anthony (Gombe South) sought for the establishment of a Federal College of Medical Science and Laboratory Technology.

The third bill which was introduced by Akobundu Austin (Abia central) sought for the establishment of Federal College of Technology, Ikwuano in Abia state.

On March 13, 2024, a lawmaker in the House of Representatives, Clement Jimbo pushed for the establishment of a new Federal College of Medical Laboratory Science and Technology to be situated in Eka-Midim in Akwa-Ibom state.

On Tuesday, March 19,2024, another lawmaker in the lower House, Abubakar Fulata pushed for the establishment of the Nigeria Digital Literacy Management Office.

Similarly, the Senate pushed for first reading on the same day, a bill for the establishment of the Police Pension Board as sponsored by Yaroe Dauda (Adamawa North).

The Bill for the establishment of the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute was introduced for first reading in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, March 20,2024 by lawmaker Bello Ambarura.

Also on same date, the Senate pushed for first reading, a bill for the establishment of Federal College of Agriculture, Ocheja in Kogi state which was sponsored by Senator representing Kogi East, Jibrin Isah.

On the same date, a bill to establish National Institute for Education planning and administration and other matters connected therewith sponsored by Suleiman Sadiq( Kwara North) also passed second reading.

Other bills include a bill seeking to establish a national tax crimes and oversight commission has passed the second reading at the House of Representatives which was proposed on March 6, 2024.

Protest organisers split, say members bribed to sabotage rally

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Protest organisers split, say members bribed to sabotage rally

The #EndBadGovernance protest, which began in major cities across the country on Thursday may be losing steam following a division among leaders of the major groups mobilising Nigerians for the mass demonstration.

Some of the organisers accused the Federal Government of financially inducing some members to sabotage the protest and weaken its strength after threats from the police and military failed to stop the movement.

Sunday According gathered that the crack within the camp of the protest organisers became evident on Friday, when their lawyer, Ebun Adegboruwa SAN, called for a suspension of the protest, citing the killings and looting recorded on day one of the protest.

In a statement on Friday, Adegboruwa said the violence necessitated the need for the protesters and their leaders to withdraw and give room for dialogue with the government.

He stated, “Given that the protests were said to have been hijacked by sponsored agents, it is necessary to avoid further losses and casualties. The organisers of the protests and their representatives should embrace dialogue with the government.”

However, a former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, dismissed Adegboruwa’s position, saying the learned silk only spoke for himself.

“No, it is his personal opinion and he’s spoken only, based on his understanding of how the narrative was being twisted,” he said.

Also, a leading mass mobilisation groups, Take It Back Movement, distanced itself from Adegboruwa.

The Director of Mobilisation for the Take It Back Movement, Damilare Adenola, said Adegboruwa does not speak for them.

In a tweet shared on his verified X handle on Saturday, Adenola said, “Our protest extends for the next 10 days and beyond! Learned Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Adegboruwa is not our lawyer, he doesn’t speak for us! Abuja people, your comrades in the struggle are already converged at the National Stadium as we speak, join them! This fight is our fight, not their fight!”

Speaking with our correspondent on Saturday, the legal adviser to the Take It Back Movement, Festus Ogun, also disagreed with Adegboruwa’s position, saying only a national broadcast from President Bola Tinubu would take the protesters off the streets.

Ogun said, “The protest is beyond one individual; it is a movement of the people, a movement of common Nigerians. We respect his (Adegboruwa) opinion, and we respect his advice, but the issue is not about Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa; the issue is about the President, who is acting as if he can’t hear Nigerians.

“If we back down at this time, it shows that we are a conquered people. The President has not spoken, he has not given us reasons to back down. The protest is a pro-people movement, so if anybody collects money from the authorities, the person is just collecting money for himself. Anyone that is given money is only given money for himself because it is a pro-people movement and not an organisation.”

But another group, Timely Intervention, backed Adegboruwa’s call, asking other civil society groups to pull out of the protest following the violence recorded in some states.

Speaking to our correspondent on Friday, a member of the executive board of the organisation, Tunde Phillips, said, “I am just leaving the protest venue in Abuja right now, and our group has agreed to suspend the protest. It has become too violent. For instance, today, I would have been shot if not that I ran fast. Some people, I am sure, would have been injured, if not killed. The protest should be suspended.”

Another group that was part of the early mobilisers for the protest, Active Citizens Group, also backed Adegboruwa’s position.

A member of the groups’ National Working Committee, Adaeze Onoja, said the executive members decided to pull out because the protest had been hijacked by hoodlums.

“Hoodlums have hijacked the protest. We are pulling out. I just left an emergency NWC meeting and that was our decision,” she said in an interview with the Sunday According.

Meanwhile, in an interview with our correspondent on Saturday, the National Chairman of the Northern Comrades Movement of Nigeria, one of the groups spearheading the protests in the North, Jabir Yaro, said the mass action was losing ground because some organisers had been allegedly bribed to disorganise it.

He said, “There are individuals, who have been paid to disorganise this protest, and these are the people causing problems and division. The only significant thing is that our leader, Ibrahim Abdulkarim, was arrested while engaging in a peaceful protest but we are following it up.”

Also, one of the leaders of the protest in Osun State, Emmanuel Olowu, alleged that the federal government committed funds to discredit the demonstration.

Olowu, who is the Chairman of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights in the state, said the groups claiming to be pulling out or dissociating themselves from the protest were pro-government.

He said, “Before the commencement of this struggle, some people have been addressing press conferences to dissociate themselves from it. Some others have also claimed they are pulling out from the protest. These sets of people were never part of us. They are pro-government reactionaries. They have been compromised by the government against their conscience.”

However, Ogun insisted that no amount of financial inducement by the government would stop Nigerians from continuing with the mass action.

Suspects in Ajumogobia daughter’s killing will face murder charges – Police

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Suspects in Ajumogobia daughter’s killing will face murder charges – Police

The Lagos State Police Command has said suspects arrested over the death of Aribemchukwu, the slain daughter of Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, may be charged with conspiracy and murder.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed this following an enquiry by our correspondent on Saturday.

Saturday According reported that the deceased, popularly called Chuchu, was reportedly killed in her Parkview Estate residence in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State.

Although a family source said she was killed Tuesday night, her lifeless body was discovered on Wednesday morning outside the gate of her residence.

Her three domestic staff; the house help, a security guard and a driver, were however arrested in connection to the murder.

Hundeyin said the suspects were still being held in custody due to ongoing investigation.

He added that they would appear in court after the conclusion of the investigation.

“Investigation is still ongoing and that is why the suspects are still in police custody. Once the investigation is concluded, they will be charge to court. They may be charged for conspiracy and murder,” he said.

Hundeyin added that part of the investigation included ascertaining the availability of the CCTV at the home of the deceased.

He said, “Whether CCTV was available in the apartment or not will be revealed as soon as the investigation is concluded.”

A police source had told our correspondent that the suspects confessed to the crime during interrogation.

The source also clarified that the deceased was murdered inside her room and her body was thereafter dragged from the spot outside the gate where it was dumped.

According to the source, the suspects attempted to clean up the blood stains but missed some spots because the act was perpetrated at night.

“The deceased was killed in her room and her body was dragged to the front of the gate to make it look like she was killed on the spot. After that, all the blood stains were carefully cleaned but still, they missed some spots.  They did not clean it well because it happened at night.”

“The house help did not even deny their involvement. She said, “We do am, na we do am” during interrogation, and everything she said tallied with the evidence on the ground,” the source disclosed.

The suspects were also said to have immediately packed all the valuables of the deceased after killing their boss.

The source also confirmed that three domestic workers were employed at the same time, a week before the incident.

Until her death, the late Aribemchukwu was a doctor and had recently married.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said an investigation was still ongoing.

Gunmen kill seven Imo village heads

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Gunmen kill seven Imo village heads

Tragedy struck again in Imo State on Saturday evening when some gunmen reportedly shot dead the President-General of Umucheke Okwe autonomous community in Onuimo Local Government Area of Imo State, Hyginus Ohazurike.

Six village heads from the autonomous community were also allegedly killed by the gunmen.

An indigene of the community, who pleaded anonymity, told Sunday According that the gunmen, who operated in a vehicle, struck while the victims were having a meeting in the community.

The source said, “Some gunmen have just shot dead the President-General of Umucheke Okwe autonomous community and six village heads.

“The PG and the village heads were having a meeting at the PG’s shop, located at the community’s market when the attackers arrived.

“On arrival, the gunmen opened fire, killed all the community leaders, and set the place ablaze. All the community chiefs died in the attack.”

Visibly apprehensive, the source added that nobody knew the reason for the attack.

He added, “Nobody knew the agenda of the meeting. They were having a meeting at the PG’s shop when the gunmen arrived. They opened fire, killed all the village chiefs in attendance, and burnt the place before driving off.”

Sunday According reports that following the dastardly act, residents of the village have fled their homes.

The sole administrator of the local government area, Emeka Obi, who confirmed the killings when contacted, said he was addressing his constituents.

Condemning the killings, he urged everybody to remain calm.

Imo State Police Command’s spokesperson, Henry Okoye, had yet to respond to our correspondent’s enquiry as of the time of filing this report.

Recall that some gunmen had in the past killed a ward chairman of the All Progressives Congress and seven others in the same community.

Last week, beginning from Monday, some gunmen killed four policemen and a Point of Sale operator at Irette community, located on the Owerri – Onitsha expressway in Owerri, the state capital.

Also on Monday, some gunmen killed one person and set a vehicle ablaze when they attacked Umuelemai junction at Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of the state.

The following day, on Tuesday, some gunmen killed a businessman, Okey Nze, popularly known as Wealthy Empire, at Amawire junction in Orji community, in the Owerri North Local Government Area of the state.

On the same day, a policeman identified as OC Ireozor was shot dead by gunmen, alongside a community chief, Paulinus Mbakwe, at Nworieubi community in the Mbaitoli Local Government Area of the state.

Lagos intervenes as woman battles monarch for demolishing property, selling land

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Lagos intervenes as woman battles monarch for demolishing property, selling land

In the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, a fierce land battle is unfolding, pitting a 64-year-old woman against a monarch in a dispute that has turned the spotlight on longstanding issues of land ownership in the state. BABATUNDE TITILOLA reports

When Mrs Olaitan Ogunseye purchased a parcel of land from the royal family of Mushade Odugate of the Majolagbe Family in Ikorodu, Lagos State, in 2000, neither she nor her husband thought the purchase would be marred by heartbreaking controversies.

According to documents seen by this reporter, the 64-year-old woman bought the land located on Chris Aghanenu Street, Eyita, in the Ikorodu Local Government Area of the state from one of the monarch’s relatives in 2000, with complete documentation and a receipt.

Dated May 5, 2000, the joint signatures on the receipt were Haruna Saka, Sita Saka, Lasisi Saka, and Kehinde Saka. Sadly, Ogunseye’s hopes of building her family’s dream home were soon crushed after she was diagnosed with an illness that took some time to recover from. She left Nigeria to seek better treatment abroad, spending money, time, and energy on the traumatising experience.

When she eventually began construction on the land in 2007, her health failed her again. However, this time around, she was bent on overcoming all health obstacles to complete her dream home.

From one trouble to another

Not long after Ogunseye started sharing her money between paying for medical treatments and building her house, another devastating news came in.

She said, “We began construction in 2007. When the structure reached the lintel phase, I had another health complication. It was a terrible experience, but I survived. After surviving the medical challenges, I returned to the site to complete the building.

“I bought all the materials needed to complete the house. Some boys came to me one day and said they would not allow me or any other person to work on the site.”

She explained that the hoodlums directed her to the palace to meet with the Eletu of Oke-Eletu, Chief Adeniyi Ajayi, the current head of the Mushade Odugate Royal House, to resolve whatever issues they were having over the land before she would be allowed to continue construction.

Ogunseye, feeling stunned by the development, approached the monarch but was met with a more shocking welcome.

“He (the monarch) said he would kill us and any other person he sees on the land,” she claimed.

This, according to her, was the beginning of another battle with no end in sight. She was not only about to lose the land, but also the money, time, and resources she and her husband spent to raise the building on it.

N2.5m compensation, building demolition

Continuing her story, Ogunseye said all efforts to appeal to the monarch at his palace proved unsuccessful as she left with the fear that she had lost everything.

She added, “It was when we got outside of the palace that one of the monarch’s boys saw my condition and told us to beg the monarch with N2.5m,” she added as her voice reflected the agony she had been through.

“I told the man that I would bring N1m to the palace so that we could plead with the monarch but he refused the money and said the monarch had already seen someone willing to pay N10m for the property.

“The next time I visited the palace with other family members to plead with the monarch, he chased me out. But my relatives and his subordinates stayed behind to beg him. He later agreed and said he would give us his response two weeks later.

“We didn’t hear anything from him again. We called him but he did not pick up. So, we had to go to his palace again. There, he told us that once he was done with what he was doing on my property, he would give us another land.”

Ogunseye told Sunday According that by the time she was able to come up with the N2.5m to appease the monarch, the building had already been demolished and the land sold to another person.

She said, “We later called the monarch’s subordinate about the money, but he said there was nothing he could do again. So, I went to my site. On getting there, I saw loads of blocks on my site. I was told the blocks belonged to the people he (the monarch) sold my land to. The second time I went there, I observed that they had dug holes to fence my property.

“When I saw what was happening on my property, I met with other leaders in the community to help me appeal to the king not to take my land. They did, and he promised to work things out. A few days later, my building was demolished, and they started erecting another structure on my property.”

Cry for justice

Left helpless, Ogunseye decided to seek the intervention of a third-party.

In a petition dated July 30, 2024, which Sunday According obtained, the Ogunseye family appealed to state Commissioners for Justice, Lawal Pedro, and Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bolaji Robert, and urged the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, and the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to protect their land and ensure the safety of their daughter.

A part of the petition read, “Sometimes, in July 2024, Olaitan Ogunseye was invited by Ajayi (the monarch) through his emissary, Kazeem Kolawole (Baale Aja), to ratify her ownership by paying the sum of N2.5m after failing to pay the initial ratification fee of N400,000.”

In another petition signed by Ogunseye’s lawyer, Tomilola Adeniji, she asked the authorities to protect her from “the land-grabbing Ajayi and his hired thugs and assailants,” while demanding “protection of Ogunseye’s property and compensation for the demolished property.”

Land-grabbing in Lagos

Several real estate investors and local homeowners in Nigeria have their share of experiences with landgrabbers sacking them from the lands they believed to have legally purchased.

Findings by this reporter showed that land grabbing might have become a multimillionaire business as wealthy socialites and royal figures are often entangled in the series of accusations of unlawfully dispossessing hapless citizens of their land.

This act done by landgrabbers, popularly called ‘Omo Onile,’ involves armed hoodlums storming construction sites to demand money from owners of property, and illegally taking possession of land.

In a letter addressed to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Adegoke Fayoade, on July 27, 2024, residents of Precious Seeds Community in the Oworonshoki area of the state, accused the traditional ruler and the Oloworo of Oworonshoki Kingdom, Oba Babatunde Saliu, of enlisting hoodlums to forcibly evict them from their homes.

In July 2023, a local chief of Lootu town, Fatai Jubril, was shot to death in front of his teenage daughter and pregnant wife in the Ibeju Lekki area of the state after an alleged dispute over land ownership between him and another chief in the community.

Also, occupants of Millennium City Centre Estate in Gbagada, Lagos, accused five families of Oyedele Ashamu, Antonio Miranda, Atunrase, Alashe, and Odutola of pressuring them to repurchase the land.

The residents further accused the Alashe family of sponsoring armed miscreants to intimidate them in a bid to either repurchase the lands or leave.

Monarch disagrees

Responding to the allegations raised by Ogunseye during a telephone call, Ajayi told Sunday According that the allegations against him were not true and he was acting on an order obtained from the High Court.

“There were judgments in 2007 and 2020. There was a consent judgment,” he added.

In a subsequent inquiry forwarded to Ajayi’s lawyer, Olatunji Osikoya, this reporter was referred to a publication made by the monarch’s family alleging that Ogunseye failed to comply with the terms of settlement contained in the court order.

The publication, with reference to the court order obtained in suit IKD/540LMW/2015 read in part, “Terms of settlement was filed and duly adopted by the court to the knowledge of Mrs Olaitan Ogunseye and other members of Unity Estate, all of whom were represented by a revered senior counsel.

“By the said consent judgement, the members of Unity Estate including Mrs Olaitan Ogunseye, were to discharge their obligations to the Mushade Odugate Family within a specified time, which time lag had since lapsed for more than three years.

“Note that the consent judgment contains forfeiture in the event of failure to comply with its terms. Mrs Olaitan Ogunseye failed to abide by the terms of the consent judgment since March 2020. Hence, the family took appropriate steps in the circumstance.”

“We are unaware of court orders”

Reacting to the accounts contained in the publication made by the Mushade Odugate Family, Ogunseye’s husband, Tayo, while speaking with Sunday According, said the family was not informed about any obligation to be discharged and relied on the payment receipt that showed the authenticity of the land sale.

He said, “We were never informed of any payment as our building was still under construction. The reason we did not complete the building on time was because of her (my wife’s) condition. She had three medical surgeries. She had two in Nigeria and one in the UK. We have the survey of the land and other documents.

“We later learnt that they asked those who had buildings in the community to pay about N200,000 for rectification. They said it was the court that gave the judgment. We did not know about this until later because we had not yet completed the structure. We want our land to be returned to us. And he should compensate us for demolishing our property.”

Tayo explained that the family had yet to see any court order and noted that they received an invitation for an out-of-court settlement which, was surprising.

He said, “We have not seen any of the court orders that they claimed to have. I have just commissioned some people to get the case file for me. Now, they are asking for a settlement. And that has further aroused my curiosity. If you are sure of the documents you claim you have and after you have maliciously destroyed somebody’s structure, why are you asking for an out-of-court settlement?

“We are not aware of any judgement obtained in 2007 or 2020. We were not aware of anything because my wife had been terminally ill. It was God that saved her. So, we have no idea about any judgement. They claimed that all these were happening because we did not pay N400,000. And we were not aware of any N400,000 payment. This is impunity. We have been cheated, and we suffered malicious damage to our property.”

Legal viewpoint

A human rights lawyer, Collins Aigbogun, said land grabbing had become a national issue that continually threatens individual rights.

He said, “Once a land has been sold, they can go back to reclaim the land. This is usually dominant in southwest Nigeria, where certain people refer to themselves as landowners, attacking and grabbing the land that has been legitimately purchased. This is an infringement on the rights of individuals.”

Also reacting, a commercial transaction lawyer, Maxwell Adigun, said internal conflicts within families controlling land often cause issues for buyers.

He added, “The aggrieved party should approach the court for a redress. If the buyers feel like they legally bought the land and can provide receipts and relevant documents to back up their claims, then they cannot be stopped from approaching the court. On the other hand, if the sale of land is not in dispute, then, everything else could be settled out-of-court.”

Case under investigation – Authorities

A source in the Lagos State Special Taskforce on Land Grabbers said the agency did not want to comment on the matter for now.

“They (taskforce officials) prefer to face their work and discover what is going on. It is not about talking. It is about finding out what truly happened,” the source said.

However, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho, said the case had been transferred to appropriate authorities and the parties would be invited.

“We have been notified of the matter. The Special Taskforce on Land Grabbers and all relevant offices have been notified too, including the Commissioner for Local Government and the Commissioner for Community Affairs. The Commissioner for Local Government said he got the letter and they have stepped in. They are all interested in the matter.

“We also saw the publication they (the monarch’s family) made yesterday. They said they were acting on a court judgement. So, we are aware and already investigating the matter,” Omotosho said.

  • Additional report by UTHMAN SALAMI

Ex-envoys, former military officers worry as demonstrators wave Russian flag

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Ex-envoys, former military officers worry as demonstrators wave Russian flag

Some Nigerians, including a former general and ex-diplomats, have expressed worry after some protesters in the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protest waved what appeared like the Russian flag.

They said the scene did not portend well for the country and warned Nigerians and the Federal Government to guard against foreign incursion.

The nationwide protest, which commenced on Thursday, August 1, was in response to the hardship experienced by citizens in the country.

No fewer than 17 people were reportedly killed by security agents, who also arrested many protesters across the country.

On Saturday, photos and videos of protesters in Kano waving the Russian flag went viral as the demonstrators chanted in Hausa, “We don’t want bad government.”

Some prominent Nigerians raised concerns about the security implications for the country.

A lawyer, Bulama Bukarti, said the images indicated the growing support for Russia in Northern Nigeria.

He wrote, “Two aspects of the ongoing hunger protest in Nigeria particularly intrigue me. Firstly, there is a small but growing support for Russia and a corresponding rise in anti-West sentiment, especially in Northern Nigeria. Some protesters in Kano carried the Nigerian flag alongside the Russian flag, and there have been calls from some participants for demonstrators to bring Russian flags and photos of Vladimir Putin to seek Russia’s assistance.

“More concerning is that these protesters do not seem to be affiliated with any pro-Russian group; they simply made amateur flags as observed by @Aliyussufiy who took the first photo, suggesting that this sentiment is developing organically. This trend is likely to expand, especially as malign actors may observe and exploit it.”

A former presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad, asked the authorities to monitor the situation and take precautions.

“This may indicate various underlying sentiments or influences that need to be carefully assessed and addressed by the government,” he added.

An award-winning journalist, Philip Obaji Jr. said, “President Vladimir Putin and Russia must be excited to learn that Russian flags were displayed by a number of protesters in Kano in northwestern Nigeria during today’s Enough Is Enough protest to #EndBadGovernace.”

Russia, an Eastern power, has been fingered in the coup d’etats in some West African countries, notably Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.

The military governments of the three countries have also pulled out of the Economic Community of West African States being chaired by President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria.

A social media user, Kawu Garba, called on the Department of State Services to investigate the incident.

He said, “Why are the protesters in Kano raising Russian flags? Is Russia sponsoring protests in Nigeria to cause anarchy? @OfficialDSSNG needs to investigate this.”

Also, a political commentator, Kayode Ogundamisi, said the protesters might be ignorant.

He said, “Whichever of the divide that may be responsible for distributing those Russian flags, either pro or anti-protest, that person dey mad. You lot have ABSOLUTELY, no idea! Beware of what you wish for.”

The Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said he was not aware of the images but promised to get back to our correspondent. He had yet to do so as of press time.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, and the DSS spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, did not pick their calls and had yet to respond to the messages sent to them as of the time of filing this report.

Security experts raise the alarm

Analysing the presence of the Russian flag, a retired Brig.-Gen., Bashir Adewinbi, cautioned Nigerians against conspiring with external forces to undermine the country’s democracy and security.

Adewinbi, while speaking with Sunday According, described the situation as unfortunate.

He said, “It is unfortunate that some Nigerians are waving foreign flags in a national protest. Our people should be careful; they should not create room for anybody to destroy our country.

“I must say that a coup can never happen in Nigeria. There can be no coup attempt against President Bola Tinubu. The security chiefs are with him and he has educated them. I don’t think any senior officer will come out and announce anything like a coup in Nigeria. We are all united, we are for the unity of the people, and we will maintain it. We will protect our democracy.”

A former Nigerian ambassador to the Philippines, Yemi Farounbi, called on the organisers of the protest to avoid any external influence.

Farounbi said, “It is an unfortunate incident to fly the flag of a foreign country during your protest. When you recall that there is Russian presence in Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Congo, one begins to wonder that you may be having an externalisation or an external indication of an internal domestic protest against certain circumstances.

“It is tragic, and I do not think that is what the organisers wanted. Certainly, that is not what Nigerians want. They do not want Nigeria to become impacted by ideological warfare between the West and the East. They do not want to see a replacement of Russia-backed military action in Nigeria.

“It is unfortunate. Perhaps, it is a reason for the patriotic organisers of the protest to stop the demonstration before it becomes something that some people will take over from them or turn Nigeria to a pawn.

“Those who are supported by this Russian regime have broken away from ECOWAS to form a separate body. It is something that other West African countries should be wary of.”

A retired Director at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Adesola Abolurin, called for the intervention of the Economic Community of West Africa States.

He attributed the call for Russian intervention in Northern Nigeria to the closeness of Niger Republic to the region.

Abolurin said, “This should not be unexpected given the volatile situation of that region, particularly since they are nearer to Niger Republic, so that is expected and, the organisers of the protest should have known that the protest will be hijacked by foreign agencies; where do they get the Russian flags from? They must have gotten them from across the border and one will expect that people will infiltrate our border from Niger and Somali and that is exactly what has happened now.

“The Russian flags must have come directly from the border. And the earlier the ECOWAS intervene in the crisis in the region, particularly in Niger Republic and Mali, the earlier they approach them, appeal to them to come back to the fold, the better.

“Already in Kano they have the issue of Emirship and this should have put into consideration by security agencies, but unfortunately, that was never done. They have a lot of problems already in the North, every little destruction in the North will escalate from the other side”.

A former Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Professor Bola Akinterinwa, suggested that those waving the Russian flag and dancing during the protests might not be Nigerians.

“The people flying Russian flags and dancing during the protest may not be Nigerians but Nigeriens,” Akinterinwa said.

He emphasised that the protest, initially planned for August 1 to 10, could shift towards a more aggressive demand for President Tinubu’s resignation due to accusations of bad governance.

The former NIIA DG warned, “The situation we have now could prompt a coup d’état.”

On his part, a former Director of DSS, Mike Ejiofor, said the government and security agencies must not handle the issue with kid gloves.

“In the security circle, you don’t dismiss such negative display. You will recall that the DSS had an intelligence report that there was a foreign influence in what is going on and that what the protesters are trying to achieve is a regime change. Russia has no business in interfering in Nigeria’s internal affairs.

“We have to intensify our intelligence gathering efforts both the national intelligence agency and the state security service must look at these threats even though they had highlighted them earlier. Citizens must also be security conscious of whatever that is happening around them”, Ejiofor said.

Col. Abdulwahab Ademola Lawal, the Head of Research Savannah Centre for Development and Training said, “The main issue is about regime security and the Russians do not mind having military coup detat and military government in this State, but the US and the Western power are concerned about democracy. The Russians are trying to create regime security for authority in those places where they are threatened.

“This is a new trend that we should watch out for. It means that there are promoters of this new trend and the influence is pressing down from Niger and Mali to continue to distabilise Nigeria. Nigeria should be worried by this, we should be worried because it means that there is an extension of Russian influence in Nigeria now. If you look at what is currently going on in the Sahel, there is a lot of Russian influence in the Sahel, they are already in Sudan, they are in Mali, they are in Niger, they are in Bukina Faso, they are in Central African Republic, so Russian influence in Africa is expanding, I won’t be surprised if there are elements in Kano who want to gnashed into this question of Russian influence in Africa.

“The sentiment of most African countries now is anti-America, they are anti-France and they are looking for alternative security architecture, therefore it is becoming a trend across Africa. You are aware of the Wagner African corps, it is an influence that really pressing down on Africa, they are pressing down on Sudan, Chad and the Central African Republic, it is a new trend of security challenges, the sovereignty of Africa is under challenge by Russia and so we are returning to the cold war era with the challenge between the West and Russia”.

Russia denies involvement

But the Press Secretary of the Russian Embassy, Yury Paramonov, denied Russia’s involvement in the ongoing protest in the country.

He said, “The Russian Embassy in Nigeria does not have any information about any groups of protesters using the Russian flag or other state symbols of our country. We have not seen such photo or video materials and would appreciate it if The Punch could provide us with such materials if they exist. Even if such incidents did occur, it would be the decision of individuals. We do not know why they might have used Russian flags.

“The Russian Federation is in no way involved in the current events in Nigeria. Moreover, Russia does not provide any material or financial support to the protesters.”

Hoodlum stripped me naked in public – Protester

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Hoodlum stripped me naked in public – Protester

A protester at the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria demonstration in Bauchi State has described how a hoodlum assaulted and stripped her naked in public.

Aisha Dogara Adamu, a resident of the Bauchi metropolis, recounted the brutalisation she suffered on the first day of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests in the state.

She said, “On Thursday, August 1, 2024, as scheduled, peaceful protests took place around the CBN roundabout in Bauchi metropolis around 1 pm to voice our concerns about hardship and insecurity.

“The police fired tear gas at us. I endured the teargas and walked past the security personnel. When I was approaching the State Secretariat, a man I later learned was named Blabla came behind me and began to beat me.”

Aisha tearfully reported that Blabla assaulted her until she was left naked in front of the security station in the area.

“He beat me, kicked me with his feet. What baffled me was the way they stripped me naked in front of the security personnel, and they did nothing.”

According to Dogara, her assailant claimed to have backing from certain authorities to prevent anyone from protesting otn that road.

Discussing her reasons for joining the demonstration, Aisha highlighted the severe inflation and troubling insecurity as her main motivators.

In a related development, Sunday According reported that security operatives at the Bauchi Government House gate clashed with a leader of the Initiative for the Liberalisation of Physically Challenged People on the first day of the hunger protests in the state.

A video trending on social media shows security personnel at the Bauchi Government House wrestling with Hamza Waziri, a person living with a disability, while he was in his wheelchair.

In an interview with our correspondent, Waziri explained that he organised the protest to express his dissatisfaction with the current economic situation of the country.

Seven cops injured in Gombe

Residents of Gombe State have expressed their discontent over being shot at and injured during the August #EndBadGovernance protest.

When our correspondent visited the Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe on Saturday, officials at the facility reported that no fewer than eight people had been admitted for medical treatment. According to Sunday According, two have been discharged, while six are still receiving care.

Of these, five are in Accident and Emergency with multiple fractures and lacerations, and one is in the Intensive Care Unit.

One of the patients in ICU, who has two bullet wounds and is on life support, was identified as a victim of police action.

Rabiu Ibrahim, a 27-year-old protester, confirmed his ordeal at the Accident and Emergency ward.

Hassan Haruna, 18, who sells fish for a living, participated in the protest. He said, “I am not a criminal or vandal. I was injured when the police shot teargas around the roundabout. As I tried to escape, I was cut by broken glass that pierced my leg.”

Mohammed Abdulrauf, also 18, recounted being shot by a hunter while fleeing the scene. “I joined the crowd running from the protest and was shot by a hunter for no reason. This has jeopardised my hope of becoming an army officer. I am struggling to get help as I only use my KekeNapep to make a living.”

When contacted, Gombe Police Public Relations Officer ASP Buhari Abdullahi said he was unaware of the exact number of injured protesters but confirmed that about seven officers were injured and treated.

‘Compensate us’

Earlier, the youth #EndbadgovernanceInNigeria hunger protest in Niger State took a violent dimension on Thursday when six of the protesters were killed in Suleja while attempting to invade a police Station.

Four of the victims were allegedly shot dead at a police station while those injured were rushed to a hospital.

A relative of one of the victim, who gave his name as Adamu Gulu, lamented the death of his brother in the hands of security agents.

Gulu said he did not know his brother would die that way, pointing out that his brother’s death would not be in vain.

“My brother was Yahaya Gulu. He was one of those killed in the Suleja hunger protest. When he left home that morning, we did not know that he would not come back alive.

He was full of life and had always spoken about bad governance in Nigeria and how the people should agitate for good governance.

“So, when this protest was first announced, he immediately said he would be a part of the protesters. He did not expect it to become violent.

“In fact, he was always warning people not to be violent by taking any dangerous weapon with them during the protest,” Gulu said.

Asked about what he was going to do about his brother’s death, Gulu noted that he did not know what he would do, adding that some lawyers had decided to take up the issue of compensation for the victims of the protest.

“As it stands, I don’t know what to do. The protest is not over. I am happy that some lawyers have said they are going to take over our cases and demand compensation for the victims.  I expect compensation because the present government caused the protest.

“This is one year after it came to office and it is still asking Nigerians to give them more time, meanwhile, there is so much hardship and hunger in the land,” Gulu said.

Ofili begins 200m quest in Paris

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Ofili begins 200m quest in Paris

Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili will begin her quest for a medal in the women’s 200m at the Paris 2024 Olympics at La Chapelle Arena on Sunday (today), According Sports Extra reports.

This event follows a controversial administrative error that led to her exclusion from the women’s 100m, a situation that has left the athletes and Nigerian sports lovers bewildered and crestfallen.

The 21-year-old, who will also compete in the women’s 4x100m relay, has been encouraged by Sports Minister John Enoh to remain focused despite the setback.

“I was on the matter until the early hours of today (Friday), with the hope of giving Nigerians something to be happy about,” Enoh stated in a statement released on Friday, promising to address the 100m exclusion issue after the Olympics.

Ofili faces stiff competition with top contenders in the event, including the reigning World Champion, Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson, USA’s Gabby Thomas, Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, and Namibia’s Christine Mboma, making it a highly competitive field.

Ofili has already established herself as one of Nigeria’s premier athletes with a 2022 Commonwealth silver medal among other medals.

Known for her explosive speed and strong finish, Ofili is expected to be a formidable contender in the 200-meter heats and beyond.

As she steps onto the track, Ofili carries not only her personal aspirations but also the hopes of millions of Nigerians.

Her performance in the 200m and relay events could potentially secure a medal for Nigeria, adding to the anticipation surrounding her Olympic debut.

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