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Lagos extends amnesty for buildings lacking permits

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Lagos extends amnesty for buildings lacking permits

The Lagos State Government has extended the provision of amnesty for owners and developers of existing buildings without planning approvals in the state by three months.

 The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Oluyinka Olumide, disclosed this in Ikeja on Wednesday.

He said, “Considering the high rate of applications since the beginning of the amnesty programme, the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has approved the extension of the programme by another three months, starting from August 1, 2024, to the end of October 2024 to allow more people to benefit from it.”

 In April, the Lagos State Government announced the provision of an amnesty period of 90 days, beginning from May 2 to July 30, 2024, to allow owners and developers of existing structures to obtain planning permits without payment of statutory penal fees, which erecting buildings without approvals would have attracted.

 In addition to the waiver of penal fees, the programme also comes with a discount for payments completed within 10 working days during the amnesty period.

To access the amnesty programme, an applicant is expected to submit some documents for assessment through the district offices of the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority in the 57 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas of Lagos State.

The applicant is to also submit the documents to the Electronic Planning Permit Office at the LASPPPA headquarters in Ikeja. The documents include the title document or proof of ownership, survey plan, as-built architectural drawings, and structural, electrical, and mechanical drawings (where applicable).

Other documents to be submitted for assessment are the non-destructive integrity test report (where applicable), letter of structural stability and indemnity (where applicable), land use planning analysis report, evidence of tax compliance, and other supporting documents (where applicable).

The current administration instituted the amnesty programme to cushion the effect of the current economic hardship on the built environment and equally enhance compliance with physical planning regulations to guarantee a livable, organised, orderly and sustainable built environment.

401 Osun LG caretaker excos resign over S’Court judgment

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401 Osun LG caretaker excos resign over S’Court judgment

Following last week’s Supreme Court judgment granting local government autonomy, the 401 chairmen and members of the caretaker committees running the 62 local governments and council development areas in Osun State tendered their resignations on Wednesday.

The Caretaker Chairman of Odo-Otin Local Government Area, Okuku, Adewale Adeyinka, said he quit office out of “respect for our democratic principles.”

His resignation letter dated July 17, 2024 was addressed to Governor Ademola Adeleke.

Adeyinka said,  “It is with a sense of duty and respect for our democratic principles that I write to tender my resignation from my position as Chairman of the Caretaker Committee for Odo-Otin Local Government, effective immediately.

“As I move on to pursue further opportunities to serve my people, I want to assure you that the good work we have started will not end. I remain committed to supporting the growth and development of Odo-Otin Local Government in any capacity I can.”

The Supreme Court had in its judgment barred governors from appointing caretaker committess to run local governments.

The apex court said only duly elected officials can run LGs, adding that any LG being run by caretakers should have their allocation from the Federation Account withheld.

Speaking with The According on Wednesday, the immediate-past Chairman of the Osun State chapter of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, Mr. Sarafadeen Awotunde, said all the 69 caretaker chairmen and 332 members in Osun State had resigned.

Asked to confirm the resignation of the 332 caretaker members and that of chairmen, Awotunde said, “Since we already called them caretaker, I don’t think there is any appropriate word to use than that they resigned. Nobody sacked them.

“Caretakers have temporary time to spend. It means their time is over. If you look at it critically, you will see that the Supreme Court has given a verdict. So whatever is called caretaker now is illegal. So, there is nothing like a caretaker in Nigeria again.”

In Osun State, there are 30 Local Government Areas, 32 Local Council Development Authorities, six Area Councils and one Administrative Office.

The last set of caretaker committee chairmen and members were appointed by Adeleke in August 2023 and their tenure of office was extended by six months in February 2024.

Their tenure was supposed to end in August but they tendered their resignation prematurely.

When contacted, the Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. Kolapo Alimi, confirmed the resignation of the LG caretakers.

He said, “We have been receiving resignation letters. Those who resigned did so to be eligible for the party primary, preparatory for the local government elections coming up next year.

“The Electoral Act has made it mandatory for whoever will participate in party’s primary to resign from political office first.”

Doctor-patient ratio worsening over japa, NMA laments

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Doctor-patient ratio worsening over japa, NMA laments

The Nigerian Medical Association, on Wednesday, lamented the worsening doctor-patient ratio in the country fuelled by the continued exodus of doctors abroad – a trend now commonly known as japa.

Speaking at an interactive session with the media in Abuja on Wednesday, the NMA President, Prof Bala Audu, pointed out that Nigeria’s doctor-patient ratio had dwindled to about 1,000 per cent less than what the World Health Organisation recommended.

“The doctor-patient ratio is about 1,000 per cent less than what the World Health Organisation recommended. Recently, there was a medical school that graduated its medical students, and I  think they did a survey and asked the new graduates if they would stay or prefer to leave. Your guess is as good as mine. It’s something that is worsening, but it is something that we can mitigate.

“And I think that is the essence of such interactive forums, not to keep crying about our problems, but to profile solutions to these problems,”  Audu stated.

Many Nigerian healthcare workers leave the country for greener pastures, leaving their colleagues to contend with additional workload and extended call hours.

The push factors, according to them, are inadequate equipment,  worsening insecurity, poor working conditions, and poor salary structure.

Data from the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria showed that about 1,056 consultants left the country to seek greener pastures between 2019 and 2023.

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors also revealed that over 900 of its members left for Europe between January and September 2023.

“The issues that will prevent doctors, and nurses from leaving this country include improving their well-being. It’s more than just their take-home package, their take-home package is important because they also need to have health care, they also need to educate their children, and so on. And if another person is providing a better opportunity, there is a tendency for them to take that option,” the NMA President said on Wednesday.

He stressed the need for an improved and friendly working environment for doctors to discourage emigration.

“There have been situations of attack on health care providers, especially by the people who take patients to hospitals, probably because one or other things are not available, and everybody is charged up and angry, and you get attacked. The facilities also need to be improved.

“Housing is also one of the requirements, especially for internship training. By regulation, for you to have quality training for House Officers, they must be housed within the hospital because they need to be available at all times. You hear very much about the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors. The residency training implies that they should live within the hospital, which means there has to be provision of accommodation for them.

“We train these people with a lot of money. This country invests so much in training every doctor, nurse, dentist, and other healthcare provider, but how many of them do we take up after they graduate, despite the challenges we have in terms of the demand power for health? So if we don’t employ them early enough, somebody else will come and employ them and take them outside this country,” Audu said.

In May, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, said the enrollment quota in medical, nursing, and other health professional schools had been increased from 28,000 to 64,000  yearly.

Pate stated that the increase in the enrollment quota was one of the steps the government was taking to mitigate the Japa conundrum in the health sector.

The NMA President, however, noted that there was a need to improve the training facilities.

“If you are previously admitting 200 medical students each year, now you want to admit 400 medical students each year, then you have to double the accommodation, you have to double the facilities for their training if you are to maintain the quality of their training.

“So these are the areas that we are having discussions with the government to ensure that those areas are improved so that we continue to produce high-quality health professionals, not just for Nigeria but for the rest of the world,” he added.

Reduced cost of governance will boost infrastructure provision

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Reduced cost of governance will boost infrastructure provision

A system that has plunged us into this mess cannot bring us back from the brink. It cannot be business as usual if we want to get out of the woods. So far, no political party has given a policy thrust that will bring us back from the precipice that is staring us in the face, and those who feel they are doing the right thing may be offering derisory plans while thinking they are doing us favour. There must be a paradigm shift in the system which the politicians cannot provide on their own as their motives put their interests above those of the collective. There must be a system that is fair and equitable to all concerned and meets the global standard of cost control in governance. Now a solution proffers itself.

The political elite is the bane of the worsening situation in the country. As good as they may be individually, it would seem that they always conspire against the rest of us when they come together to play politics and are put in charge of the affairs of the country. This is when they treat the rest of us as fools, they lose their sense of humanity while they engage in the primitive acquisition of wealth, inanities, waste, profligacy, frivolous and ill-conceived projects, misapplication of resources, compromised institutions and appointments that are more or less sinecure, and pay total disregard to service to the nation, democratic governance and collective national interests.

The reasons are not farfetched: the general feudalistic background of the political elite has been unduly buoyed by the autocratic tendencies of the erstwhile military whom they replace. So, at the point where proper resource management and sense of proportion should have come into play as in developed democracies, our politicians display a total lack of integrity and sense of social justice but instead display “what is in it for me” or such primordial and parochial tendencies. The political class and their pliant compatriots in the civil service conveniently omitted to restore the checks and balances in governance when the military left the stage. As a result, what we now have is a cosmetic change from military to civil rule- a mere change from khaki to agbada- with a total lack of fiscal discipline that is expected in a working democracy.

It would appear that rather than focus on service to the nation, the political class is focused on the treasury and power for their selfish ends. They venture into politics with the mindsets of men/women out to reap the highest possible dividends from their investments. Therefore, the booties after winning elections, and not service to fatherland, in my opinion, remain the motivating factors in most cases. This is the genesis of our problems. It is evident that if money and power continue to be the motivating factor, things will continue to get worse. Something has to change as we cannot be doing things the same way and expect different results.

The politicians are at the end of their tethers. So instead of coming up with workable solutions, they engage in the blame game, passing the buck without taking the faintest glimpse at the mirror. But the truth is that the political elite, being bereft of integrity, brought about this mess through their acts of omission and or commission. Only statesmen- politicians imbued with integrity and desire for social justice- can devise and implement a system that will take us out of the present mess. But no one can give what he does not have, hence the need to help politicians to help themselves and follow the advice of William Shakespeare: “Assume a virtue if you have it not” –the need to devise a cost-of-governance model that will serve as a thermostat to direct/regulate the cost of governance in line with the available resources, and the level of development of the nation.

In deriving a formula in this regard, a realistic view must be taken of the country’s resources and not based on the mistaken assumption that Nigeria is the giant of Africa. It must also be noted that governance is a common service which features in every country, even if its cost is relative to its resources/size and level of development. The system whereby over 70 per cent of our resources are being squandered on cost of governance is unwieldy and that is why everything is going downhill. There must be a paradigm shift in the system that turns politics and governance into business ventures.

I give the government or political party an option out of three systems designed as a means of planning for development and achieving the desired goal of cost-effective cum cost-efficient governance. The first system is that the cost of governance should be equal to or less than 30 per cent of the country’s resources for the period. This will leave 70 per cent for other commitments- education, health, infrastructure etc.

Learning from others is the second system. It will be wise counsel for the giant to go to the ants, learn their ways and be wise. When Nigeria became independent, we were at par, or even better off economically, than some countries then classified as third world/developing countries. Examples of such countries are Singapore, Malaysia, and South Korea. These countries have left us behind and are now proudly referred to as Asian Tigers. We can copy the consumption pattern that catapulted them out of the rung of the underdevelopment class.

The third system is to derive another (if different from the aforesuggested) which must take cognisance of the fact that this country is the poverty capital of the world and all the indices of development put Nigeria at the last rung. Consider the absurdity that the poverty capital of the world is paying the highest remuneration to its legislators or the president or ministers of the poorest nation when compared with the richest nations. The point being made here is that the consumption pattern must be based on objective realities.

The success of Nigeria is our collective desire, but we cannot achieve this if we continue to leave politics to the politicians. It is my considered opinion that we can contribute our quota by considering and applying this as a verifiable and veritable chink in the armour of the giant that Nigeria’s problems have become. In other words, when the cost of governance is streamlined as suggested, everything will fall into place. Conversely, the longer this is ignored, we should expect from our leaders more actions that are less altruistic.

INEC warns election observers against rules violation

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INEC publishes candidates’ final list, fixes June 19 for campaigns

The Independent National Electoral Commission, on Wednesday, warned election observer groups that their accreditation for the Edo and Ondo governorship polls could be revoked anytime if found violating its code of conduct.

The According reported on Monday that a total of 134 international and local observer groups were accredited by INEC.

The classification of the accredited groups showed that 28 are gender-based, three represent persons with disability, 8 are faith-based, 10 international and over 100 others working in areas relevant to the functions of the commission.

Speaking at a training session for election observers in Abuja, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Election and Party Monitoring Committee, Sam Olumekun, said for the groups to retain their accreditations they must adhere to the rules.

He said, “As accredited Observer Groups, you will be allowed access to observe all the election processes as outlined in the commission’s Reviewed Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of elections available at the INEC website.

“I need to, however, bring to your attention that your accreditation may be withdrawn at any stage of the election process if it is established that your organisation is violating the Code of Conduct for observers as contained in the Guidelines for Election Observation available on INEC website.

Again, you are to be reminded that the accreditation of your organisation to observe the elections is without financial obligations on the commission.”

Olumekun urged them to pay attention to monitoring the integrity of the elections.

“While there are quite a number of trustworthy, honest, objective, hardworking and credible observer groups in the country who have contributed greatly to deepening democracy and the electoral process in Nigeria over the years, there are still others who have continued to display laxity about election observation and have cared less about the integrity of the entire process,” he said.

Acting Director of Election and Party Monitoring, Hauwa Habib, urged the groups to update their records with the Corporate Affairs Commission.

Habib said, “The commission’s process of selection and registration of observers is strictly on the provision that the organisation is registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission as trustees whose areas include covering elections and the registered 134 of you here have passed the test.

“From the records available to us at the commission it is noticed that some of you will need to update your records with the CAC. The importance of observers as stakeholders in the development of election processes and procedures and we urge your group leaders to select observers who are interested in the job and properly trained to ensure that their observation and reporting are in line with the guidelines of the commission.”

Stakeholders demand 10% benefit for solid minerals host communities

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Nigeria losing $9bn yearly to illegal mining- Reps C’ttee

Stakeholders in the solid minerals sector have called for the payment of 10 per cent benefits to host communities as part of measures to build an environment that would ensure peaceful coexistence between miners and indigenes.

This is just as they proposed a 10-year renewable mining lease instead of the 25 years as captured in Section 66 of the Solid Minerals Mining Act 2007.

These demands were tabled for deliberations on Wednesday at the public hearing of repeal and enactment of a bill titled, “Nigeria Mineral Development Company Limited (Establishment) Bill 2023,” organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Solid Minerals.

Speaking at the hearing, a representative of Renevlyn Development Initiative, Tobias Lengs, lamented the health risk of mining activities owing to environmental degradation and the lack of proper care for miners in host communities.

He said, “We suggest an upward review of the extraction net value revenue that goes to the Community Development Association.  10 per cent is recommended and this should be reviewed periodically.

“The duration of a mining lease is 25 years and shall be renewable every 24 years as captured in Section 66 of the Solid Minerals Act. The 25-year mining lease arrangement is too long and leaves room for operators to get away with impunity at a huge cost to the nation. Instead, a 10-year mining lease is proposed to compel operators to be more responsive and accountable for their actions.

“The community development agreement should be flexible to allow the host community to determine exactly what they want to use the funds for without tying it to a particular line item. Their needs may change depending on the situation, hence the agreement details should not be open-ended.”

The representatives of the Environmental Defenders Network and the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency faulted the bill on the ground, saying that it gave too much power to the minister.

“The bill gives too much power to the minister. Other ministries relevant to the subject including the Ministry of Environment should be involved,” they said.

Ms Lumun Feese, who represented the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, stated that despite enacting new laws to sanitise the sector, not much has been achieved concerning revenue to the government and improved standard of living for Nigerians.

“The mining sector’s impact on the economy remains suboptimal, hovering below one per cent of Gross Domestic Product by 2015. In 2016, the government approved an industry roadmap aimed at enhancing the sector’s role as an economic driver, targeting a three per cent GDP contribution by 2025,” he said.

He commended the committee for initiating the bills to address the staggering decline of mining, even as he called on the Federal Government to make deliberate efforts to promote good governance in the sector.

“This call is similar to the government’s successful approach in the oil and gas sector demonstrated through the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021 to implement the Nigerian oil and gas policy. The PIA overhauled the institutional, legal, and regulatory framework for the oil and gas industry, establishing two regulatory agencies and fully commercialising the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.”

In his opening address, the Chairman of the committee and member representing Karu/Keffi/Kokona Federal Constituency, Nasarawa State, Jonathan Gbefwi, said the proposed law would go a long way to sanitise the industry.

“We need a heavy rod in the mining sector. We need a vehicle where the government can be a player in the mining sector; a situation where five per cent of whatever is extracted will be given to host communities. If this is achieved, Nigeria will experience astronomical growth.”

Kogi receives 500,000 anthrax vaccine doses

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Kogi NMA suspends chairman

The Kogi State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, on Wednesday, took delivery of 500,000 doses of Anthrax vaccine towards the protection of the animal population in the state.

The vaccines were provided by the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project and delivered by its National Project Coordinator, Mr. Abubakar Sanusi.

Nigeria had mid last year recorded an outbreak of anthrax, with cases reported in Niger and Lagos states.

Anthrax is a deadly zoonotic disease caused by a spore-forming bacterium, Bacillus anthracis, which mainly affects animals.

Human beings can become infected with anthrax through contact with an infected animal alive or dead as well as by inhaling spores.

The symptoms of anthrax can range from a skin ulcer with a dark scab to difficulty breathing and critically infected animals have blood oozing out of their body orifices, such as the nose and anus.

Sanusi, who was welcomed by the Kogi State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Timothy Ojomah, emphasized that “This delivery is part of L-PRES’s ongoing efforts to enhance animal health services in Kogi State.”

He highlighted the critical role of vaccination in preventing the spread of anthrax and safeguarding livestock, which in turn supports the livelihoods of farmers and boosts the local economy.

The commissioner expressed profound appreciation for the delivery, acknowledging the impact such support has on the state’s agricultural sector.

Ojomah noted that the provision of the vaccine was timely and essential for the prevention of anthrax outbreaks, which pose a significant threat to livestock and public health.

He outlined the need for ongoing collaboration and resource allocation to ensure the robustness of Kogi State’s veterinary services.

In addition to the vaccine delivery, the visit of the National Project Coordinator also included the inspection of the completed cold chain storage facility and laboratory within the ministry’s complex.

“These state-of-the-art facilities are critical for the effective storage and analysis of vaccines and other veterinary supplies, ensuring that they remain potent and safe for use,” he said.

The cold chain storage facility is equipped with advanced refrigeration systems designed to maintain vaccines at optimal temperatures, while the laboratory is fitted with modern diagnostic equipment to support comprehensive animal health assessments.

Kano reinstates Gaya emir, replaces Karaye, Rano monarchs

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Deputy gov confident in Kano LG chiefs

The Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, on Wednesday, approved the appointment of three second-class Emirs of Rano, Gaya and Karaye Emirates.

In the new appointments, the deposed Emir of Gaya, Alhaji Aliyu Abdulkadir Gaya, was reinstated as the Emir of Gaya.

Alhaji Muhammad Karaye was appointed the Emir of Karaye. Until his new appointment, he was the District Head of Rogo.

The District Head of Bunkure, Alhaji Muhammad Isa Umar, was appointed the Emir of Rano.

The new appointments followed the signing into law of Kano State Emirates Council Bill 2024 by Yusuf after the bill was passed by the lawmakers on Tuesday.

The new law replaced the repealed Kano Emirates Law 2019 signed by ex-Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, which split Kano Emirate into Kano, Gaya, Bichi, Karaye and Rano.

As stipulated in the new law, the newly established Rano emirate will encompass Rano, Bunkure, and Kibiya local government areas.

The Gaya emirate will include Gaya, Albasu, and Ajingi local government areas, while the Karaye emirate will cover Karaye and Rogo local government areas.

Presenting the letters of appointment to the new emirs on Wednesday, the governor enjoined them to be custodians of culture, peace and unity of the people of their respective emirates.

A statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Dawakin Tofa, a copy of which was made available to The According, on Wednesday, said the second-class emirs of the emirates would be answerable to the Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi.

The statement added that they possessed the authority to counsel the Emir of Kano on matters concerning public order, territorial disputes, communal conflicts, and religious affairs within their respective domains.

The governor congratulated the new emirs, adding that their appointments took immediate effect.

Shaibu loses suit seeking Ighodalo’s disqualification

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Shaibu loses suit seeking Ighodalo’s disqualification

The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, dismissed a suit seeking the disqualification of Asue Igbodalo as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.

Justice James Omotosho declared that the suit, filed by the impeached Edo State deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, lacked merit.

Shaibu and others had in the suit asked the court to disqualify Ighodalo over an allegation that he forged his voter card.

But in his judgment on Wednesday, Justice Omotosho declared that the suit was statute-barred.

He noted that the suit, being a pre-election case, was filed outside the 14 days allowed under Section 285(9) of the Constitution.

The judge also held that though forgery or non-possession of a voter card was grounds for disqualification under Section 182 of the Constitution, the plaintiff failed to prove their allegation that Ighodalo forged his voter card.

The Wednesday’s verdict comes about two weeks after Justice Inyang Ekwo of the same Federal High Court in Abuja nullified the February 22 PDP governorship election in Edo State that produced Ighodalo as the party’s flag-bearer for the September 21 governorship poll.

The judge ruled that the primary stood nullified because of the illegal exclusion of 378 delegates who should have participated in the indirect primary held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin.

But the PDP has since appealed the judgment and expressed optimism that Ighodalo would not only participate in the poll but would also coast home to victory.

Hailing the Wednesday’s judgment, the PDP national leadership described it as “a victory for democracy, the rule of law and a well-founded affirmation of the propriety and credibility of the primary election and PDP’s internal democracy.”

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP said,”The spontaneous jubilation across Edo State at the news of the judgement reaffirms the PDP’s candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo as the undisputed preference of the majority of the people of Edo State in the coming governorship election.

“The party notes that the judgement further validates the fact that all the aspirants at the governorship primary election were accorded a level playing ground in the conduct of the Edo State PDP congresses and governorship primary election that produced Dr. Asue Ighodalo as candidate.

“The PDP congratulates Dr. Asue Ighodalo and urges all party members to remain united and continue to work together with the majority of the people of Edo State to ensure the victory of our party and candidate in the September 21, 2024 gpvernorship election.”

Meanwhile, a member of the integrity group within the opposition All Progressive Congress, Emmanuel Odigie, said, on Wednesday,  that substantial members of the party had pledged to vote for Ighodalo and his running mate, Osarodion Ogie on account of their competence and preparedness to deliver good governance.

Odigie insisted that dropping the name of President Bola Tinubu, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory,  Nyesom Wike would not help the APC in the Edo poll.

Odigie, who has since been suspended by the APC for alleged anti-party activities, threw his weight behind the PDP candidate during an appearance on Arise TV on Wednesday.

He said, “From Ighodalo’s antecedent, his manifesto, ‘The Pathway to Prosperity for All’, and if you go through the document you will see that Ighodalo has a clear vision for Edo people. He understands the terrain, he has been playing an advisory role from the days of Adams Oshiomhole to date.

“He is a very experienced man who grew his law firm to one of the biggest in Africa with over  100 employees. He was raised by a father who was a chartered accountant, a mother who became the first female Permanent Secretary in Nigeria, and he is a happily married man with integrity.

“Even his deputy, Osarodion Ogie, a lawyer and renowned administrator, has been in government for years and understands the nitty-gritty of governance. His admirers call him, “Water has no enemy” and he has more friends in the APC than even in the PDP. I have not come across one leader in the APC who has not sworn to me in private that Asue and Ogie have their votes due to their competence.

“You can see how well they were received when they both came out in a rally after the phoney judgment nullifying the PDP primary. This shows clearly that the fear of Asue and Ogie is the beginning of wisdom.”

Amotekun rescues kidnapped victim, arrests 24 in Ondo

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Amotekun rescues kidnapped victim, arrests 24 in Ondo

The Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun Corps, has apprehended no fewer than 24 persons for various criminal offences.

The corps also said it rescued a student, Bisola Olisa, who was kidnapped by bandits along the Ikare-Ado Ekiti Expressway.

Speaking on the arrest, on Wednesday, the state Commander of the Corps, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed that the suspects were arrested for offences, which include kidnapping, armed robbery, motorcycle theft, conspiracy and cable theft, illegal migration, possession of firearms, malicious damage among others.

According to the commander, the operation which led to the arrest of the suspects, was conducted in collaboration with other security agencies in the state.

He said, “We arrested and paraded 24 suspects. We are pleased to report that the security situation in the state is very stable. Law and order are being maintained, political activities continue without disruption, and the anti-open grazing law is being enforced.

“Since the last incident, there have been no serious conflicts between farmers and herders. Human trafficking has decreased, and issues of cultism and militancy have nearly disappeared. Kidnapping activities are mainly confined to the borders and are being addressed.

“There are no significant problems related to terrorism, land, or chieftaincy disputes. Student activities are ongoing without crisis, and there are no current labour union issues.”

On the kidnap case, Adeleye explained that the 32-year-old victim was abducted alongside three other victims in the Supare area in Akoko South-West Local Government Area of the state but was rescued by the combined team of Amotekun and other security agents. He noted that two of the abductors had been arrested.

“Regarding the recent kidnapping case in Supare, which recorded one fatality and four victims being taken into the bush, the corps responded immediately in collaboration with other security agencies.

“We apprehended two suspects, one of whom is here and we are confident that we will secure the release of the remaining victims,” Adeleye added.

The commander said the suspects would be profiled, and those who needed to go to court would be taken to court, while the corps would explore other means to ensure justice for the rightful owners of the stolen items.

Narrating how she was kidnapped, the victim, Bisola Olisa explained, “ I was coming from Ikare, heading to Ekiti. On getting to Akungba, I boarded a vehicle from the garage; there were seven of us in the vehicle. At a certain spot, we started hearing gunshots from the bandits. So, they stopped us immediately. A passenger beside me was shot dead, and they marched us into the bush. Some passengers were injured.

“The kidnappers were many on the road, but as we moved into the bush, four of them led us, all carrying guns. We trekked throughout the night until the next morning when we reached a mountain where we sat down. They asked us to lie down, and the three of us obeyed for about 30 minutes. I realised they were no longer talking. I peeped to check if they were sleeping but saw only one of them; the other gang members were gone.

“I told them that I needed to defecate, that was how I escaped. On reaching the main road, I saw the Amotekun Corps, and they rescued me and took me to their station. “

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