Governor Orders the Scout of Bank Robbery Perpetrators

Governor Orders the Scout of Bank Robbery Perpetrators

The Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has ordered security agencies to find the perpetrators of the bank robbery in Ikere-Ekiti on Wednesday, December 13, 2023. The Governor, in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Yinka Oyebode, said the robbers must also be made to face the full wrath of the law. The statement made it known that the Governor affirmed that no stone would be left unturned to ensure the perpetrators face the law “The Governor who described the armed robbery incidence, which claimed three lives, as senseless and disheartening, said no stone will be left unturned in the bid to bring the perpetrators to book,” Oyebode said. (sic) Oyebanji condoled the families of the bank robbery victims, the Ogoga-in-Council, and the people of Ikere-Ekiti. The Governor further directed government hospitals in the State to take proper care of those who got injured during the robbery attack. Buttressing the importance of local vigilance in security, Oyebode said the Governor has urged the residents of Ikere-Ekiti who have information that can help security agencies in their investigations to make it known to relevant authorities. “The perpetrators of this heinous crime will not go unpunished. Our security agencies will go after them and ensure they face the guilt and wrath of the law,” the Governor said. “Our condolences to the families of victims of the robbery attack and the Ikere people.” The Governor further urged the people of Ekiti State to remain calm and vigilant as they go about their daily activities. Governor Oyebanji added that the Ekiti Government is committed to their security and safety and would not spare any efforts at ridding the state of criminal elements.

Stepmother to be Prosecuted over Alleged Assault

Stepmother to be Prosecuted over Alleged Assault

Following the suspected assault of a 12-year-old stepdaughter, the Zamfara State Government will prosecute the stepmother in Tsafe Local Government Area (LGA). The State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Children, and Social Development, Dr Nafisa Maradun, made this known when she visited the victim in Tsafe on Wednesday, December 13, 2023. The Commissioner said the woman, Aisha Mustapha, was accused of melting nylon on the body of her stepdaughter and forcing her to drink urine. “So we will therefore take it up to make sure that if found guilty, she faces the full wrath of the law.” She emphasized that the government will not condone this kind of act, and as soon as investigations are concluded, the accused will be taken to court and justice will be served to the child. Dr Maradun added further that the State Government, in collaboration with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in the State, will follow the case to its logical conclusion to ensure that the accused woman is punished if found guilty. Speaking on the incident, the biological mother of the victim, Malama Maryam Muhammad, appealed to the State Government and concerned NGOs operating in the State to work diligently to ensure all atrocities allegedly committed by the accused are brought to life. She further thanked the Commissioner and some officials of NGOs who have shown concern about the incident.

Unions Commend FG Over IPPIS Action

Unions Commend FG Over IPPIS Action

Recall that the Federal Government of Nigeria, yesterday, Wednesday, December 13, 2023, exempted Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education, and other tertiary institutions from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS). This is coming after a long-term clamour for exemption by the members of institutions as they laid claims that the system is not favourable to their institutions. The Government made it known that remunerations to staff members of these institutions would no longer be actualized through the platform. This was made known to journalists after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris. The Government came to term that the IPPIS does not afford tertiary institutions the freedom to run their affairs. Idris said: “Today (yesterday), the universities and other tertiary institutions have got a very big relief from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System. You will recall that university authorities and others have been clamouring for exemption from this system. “Today (yesterday), Council has graciously approved that. What that means in simple language, is that the university authorities and other tertiary institutions will now pay their personnel from their own end instead of relying on the IPPIS”, the Minister affirmed. The Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, who rationalised the decision, noted that the goal was to allow for efficient running of public educational institutions nationwide. Mamman asserted that yesterday’s move was not connected to the integrity of IPPIS, University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS)  or other similar systems advocated by various bodies. The Minister stated, “Simply, the President and Council are just concerned about the efficiency of management of the universities, and so it has nothing to do with integrity or platform options. “The President cannot understand why vice chancellors should be leaving their duty posts and run to Abuja to get staff enlisted on IPPIS when they get recruited. “The basic concern is that universities are governed by laws. And those laws give them autonomy in certain respects, and the IPPIS has sort of eroded that autonomy granted universities in accordance with their Acts”, Mamman concluded. (Sic) Correspondingly, lecturers under the aegis of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and Congress of University Academics (CONUA), yesterday, praised the decision, observing that the journey to full university autonomy may have begun. ASUU President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, said the new administration had demonstrated genuine concern for the sector. He then pleaded with the current administration to resolve all pending issues relating to salaries and implementation of agreements for Nigerian Universities to favourably compete with their counterparts globally. Also, CONUA National President, Niyi Sunmonu, expressed the hope that the government would not move lecturers to another platform that might impede the  smooth running of activities in the academia. He said if migrating lecturers to another payment platform was going to give university administrators some measure of control over their finances, then, the move “is a gradual step to full autonomy for the institutions.”

Ogun: Police Arrest Three For Allegedly Snatching Car and Motorcycle

Ogun: Police Arrest Three For Allegedly Snatching Car and Motorcycle

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested three people suspected to have stolen a car and motorcycle in the Mowe and Ifo areas of the State. The source made this known on Thursday, December 14, 2023. The source mentioned that a suspect identified as Matthew Segun hit the head of a motorcyclist with a hammer on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, before fleeing with his motorcycle. It was gathered that Segun had earlier stopped the motorcycle and begged to take him from the Old Bank Bus Stop to Igbese in Ifo. The motorcyclist told Segun to disembark when they reached Igbese, but he (Segun) insisted that he should take him further down the route. However, Segun hit him with a hammer on the crown of his head after which the motorcyclist lost consciousness and fell off the bike. Segun thereafter absconded with the motorcycle. Upon consciousness, the motorcyclist and owner of the motorcycle approached the Ifo Police Division to report the incident. Confirming the incident on Thursday, December 14, 2023, the Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, said other commercial motorcycle riders in the area assisted the Police team in apprehending Segun. She said, “The suspect is a member of a syndicate responsible for snatching motorcycles from commercial motorcyclists in the area. The suspect will soon be transferred after the preliminary investigation is completed.” Meanwhile, two suspects believed to have stolen a car along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway have also been arrested. The suspects were said to have been acting questioningly along the road and immediately took flight on sighting the Police approaching the area. The Police reassured that they had begun a manhunt to arrest the fleeing suspects after arresting two of the suspects. Narrating the incident, Odutola said the suspects had boarded the Corolla car in Lagos and that they sprayed some chemical substances on the face of the driver, which made him lose consciousness. She explained further that the suspects dragged the driver out of the car and immediately bolted the scene. “We have arrested two of the suspects. Our men are on the trail of the other suspects who participated in the robbery. The suspects will be transferred to Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation.” Odutola stated.

NAFDAC’s Control Lab Gets Pre-qualification Approval

NAFDAC DG Prof Mojisola Adeyeye

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced her pre-qualification approval for the Yaba laboratory, Lagos State, as a Central Drug Control Laboratory. The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday, December 14, 2023. Dr. Adeyeye informed that the World Health Organisation (WHO) had recently approved the Central Drug Control Laboratory (CDCL) located at Yaba, Lagos. She buttressed that the approval was a momentous milestone in the Agency’s commitment to ensuring safe and quality pharmaceutical products. Further speaking, the Director General stated that the pre-qualification approval was communicated to the agency via mail received from the WHO pre-qualification inspection team on September 15, 2023. She said that the success was finally published on the WHO website, adding that the website address through which the public could cite and reference, was equally shared with the agency for dissemination. She added, “You can access the information on the pre-qualification procedure, as well as the list of pre-qualified quality control laboratories, on the pre-qualification unit medicine website: https://extranet.who.int/pqweb/medicines. ”NAFDAC is Nigeria’s regulatory body responsible for ensuring the safety and quality of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices and other related products “NAFDAC’s mission is to safeguard public health by ensuring that only safe and wholesome products are made available to the Nigerian public,” Dr. Adeyeye affirmed. The Director General stated, “This is a huge landmark achievement for the agency and Nigeria. Very few laboratories in the world have the apex status of WHO pre-qualification. ”Our journey towards this milestone actually started since year 2010, but with renewed efforts and more commitment to attempts by our management and the Federal Government in the last four years, we have finally achieved this goal. “The WHO pre-qualification of the CDCL is a testament to the unwavering commitment of NAFDAC to meeting international standards of excellence in drug quality control and regulation.” Dr Adeyeye said that the prestigious recognition brought numerous benefits to CDCL, NAFDAC, and most importantly, to the Nigerian people. She further highlighted the benefits that the WHO pre-qualification of the CDCL would bring to Nigeria as global recognition, enhanced pharmaceutical quality, international collaboration and advanced public health. Others are the streaming regulatory process, enhancement of credibility and advancement of Nigeria’s healthcare system.

Gunmen Kill Woman, Abduct Others on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

Gunmen

Along the Fidiwo section of the Lagos-Ibadan Motorway on Monday, 11th December 2023, some Gunmen allegedly wearing military uniforms abducted seven people while one person was shot and killed trying to flee the scene. According to an anonymous source, the car carrying the victims was ambushed by armed men brandishing guns. The assailants snatched seven people from the vehicle and fled with the kidnapped victims into the nearby bush on the motorway. The armed men shot and killed an unidentified woman while shooting a female passenger in another car who witnessed the crime and tried to escape. The victim is currently in serious condition. Late on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer SP Omolola Odutola confirmed the attack and emphasised that the police had started a manhunt for the suspects kidnappers. She said, “One person reported a kidnapping incident on Monday. She said she and her family were travelling from Akure to Lagos in their family vehicle, a Toyota Hiace bus, when they were intercepted by a group of armed individuals who were firing sporadically after passing the Fidiwo Bridge. “Seven people, including the parents of the person, were abducted and taken into the bush while she and her four siblings were left behind. The children were brought to the police station along with the vehicle. “Also, one female who was travelling in another vehicle, was shot by the kidnappers while attempting to escape. She is currently receiving treatment at the Victory Hospital Ogere. “Information from the victim suggests that there were approximately 15 kidnappers wearing army uniforms. She was shot while fleeing while an unidentified female corpse, shot during the incident, was found and deposited at the Fos Mortuary in Ipara.” Odutola emphasised once more how Senior Officers were dispatched by Commissioner of Police (CP), Abiodun Alamutu, to conduct a bush-combing activity as soon as he received information about the kidnapping, which resulted in the rescue of one of the victims on Tuesday, 12 December 2023. She continues, “Upon receiving the report, the Commissioner of Police, CP Alamutu Abiodun, ordered a bush-combing exercise into the Bamboo Forest to rescue the kidnapped victims from the incident. The operation was coordinated by the Deputy Commissioner of Operations, and assisted by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Sagamu.” “At about 1230hrs today, the police team successfully liberated one of the victims who has been united with his family.” Odutola concluded by stating that the CP is fully on top of this incident to ensure the rescue of other victims. He also reassures residents of Ogun not to panic or exercise any restraint in their travel plans.

Tenant Suspected to Have Kidnapped Landlord’s, Neighbour’s Children

Ogun State

In the Sango Ota neighbourhood of Ogun State, an unidentified woman has been accused of kidnapping two minors who are the children of her landlord and her neighbour. Three days after moving into the apartment, the woman and the two children were reported to have gone missing. This was made known to News Agencies on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, by Omolola Odutola, after the occurrence of the incident the same day. According to Odutola, the Landlord, Johnson Oshinowo, said that on December 7, 2023, a woman he rented his flat apartment kidnapped both his four-year-old son and the youngster of a neighbour. The Landlord claims that the house agent failed to perform a background check on the woman who had just moved into the flat. Odutola said, “On December 12, 2023, at about 0835hrs, a landlord informed the police that he rented a room apartment to a woman on December, 7 and on December 11, the woman abducted his son and his neighbour’s son without any trace of their destination. “Immediately the report was received, detectives swung into action and visited the scene to conduct preliminary inquiries.” “From the preliminary investigation, it was gathered by the detectives that the woman had only spent three days in the rented house without any known background information. It was also gathered that the landlord and house agent have no profile of the suspect.” She further revealed that in order to make sure the culprit was found, CP Abiodun Alamutu, the Commissioner of Police, had ordered a separate inquiry into the kidnapping. “The CP has directed a discrete investigation and urged operatives to intensify their efforts to track down the suspect and rescue the children,” Odutola concluded.

New Commissioner of Police Assigned to Lagos State

Fayoade Adegoke

Lagos State has a newly appointed Commissioner of Police (CP). Reports says that Idowu Owohunwa’s former position as Commissioner of Police will be replaced by Fayoade Adegoke. Idowu, himself, was recently elevated to the position of Assistant Inspector-General of Police. This development was made known on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, through a police wireless message that included Fayoade’s posting, made available by the Nigerian Police Force Secretary. The police wireless message which was dated December 11, 2023, bore the marking TH.5361/FS/FHQ/ABJ/T.5/103, and was signed by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun. The record stated further that the posting went into effect right away. Fayoade’s assignment was verified to the command by Benjamin Hundeyin, the public relations officer for the Lagos State Police. According to Hundeyin, the new CP “is likely to resume any moment from Wednesday.”

Ogun State Lunches Waste Management Initiative

Waste Management

The Ogun State Government announced the launch of its “Renew and Reuse” trash management campaign, which aims to encourage responsible waste management among State citizens through charitable giving and acts of kindness. At the initiative’s debut in the capital of Ogun State, Abeokuta, Ola Oresanya, the State’s Commissioner for Environment, revealed this. Under the project, anyone living in the State will be able to donate their unwanted goods by using collecting boxes strategically positioned throughout the State. Other residents who might require the donated things will have access to them. He said, “Ogun State government has commenced a Renew and Reuse Waste Agenda with a call on residents of the state to be their brother’s keepers, especially during this season of love and giving which is in line with Prince Dapo Abiodun administration’s social inclusion. “The agenda seeks to bond every strata of the population together through the renewal of some items considered as waste to useful materials for reuse by those who need them thereby promoting human kindness. This would be done through several collection boxes placed at Government Offices, prominent eateries, stores, outlets and Non Governmental Organizations offices spread across the state.” Additionally, he wants people to realise that trash is not waste unless it is thrown away on its own, just as one person’s trash can make another happy. He said; “What you want to throw away is what some people are looking for, so don’t throw them away as this is an avenue for you to show human kindness, especially at this time when the federal and state governments are giving out palliatives to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy and global economic downturn.”

House Sanctions Biden Impeachment Inquiry

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  The House on Wednesday, 13th December 2023, voted to open an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. Republicans in the House stated that the vote was necessary to give them authority to carry out their investigation, should there be legal challenges from the White House. Reacting to the development, Democrats described the move as a political stunt. Members voted along party lines of 221 to 212, all Republicans voted in favor of inquiry, while all Democrats voted against. “Instead of doing anything to help make Americans’ lives better, they are focused on attacking me with lies.” “Instead of doing their job on the urgent work that needs to be done, they are choosing to waste time on this baseless political stunt that even Republicans in Congress admit is not supported by facts,” Mr. Biden was quoted as saying. The vote followed the refusal of the President’s son, Hunter Biden to sit for a private deposition. Recall that Republicans have issued a Subpoena to the younger Mr. Biden, demanding to question him over his business dealings in Ukraine, China and other countries as they seek to portray him as corrupt and link the deeds to his father.