News & Announcements

The Lagos State Government has announced compensation for those who were hurt when a train and a bus carrying state employees collided.

The state committed to offer a concessionary scholarship to one of each deceased victim’s biological children as well as employment to one of their employable children in a statement on Tuesday.

This was after a nine-member committee set up by the state in the aftermath of the accident of March 9 submitted its report.

The statement read, “Findings of the report showed that the accident had six fatalities from a total of 102 passengers involved, with 85 passengers on board the staff bus, while 17 were on the train.

“The committee as part of its recommendations advised: Death benefits from the Group Life Insurance for families of the deceased, provision of employment to one employable child of the deceased and a concessionary scholarship to one of the deceased’s biological children.

“Injured accident victims were also recommended in the report to be paid full insurance claims as compensation while any staff victim with a permanent disability is also to be compensated in line with the Group Life Insurance Policy of the state, among other benefits.

“The committee, which consists permanent secretaries from relevant ministries of the state public service, was set up to identify the families of the deceased and their dependents, as well as the injured officers, and to determine appropriate compensation packages for each affected family and staff of the state government.

“A final decision on the committee’s recommendations will be taken by the state executive council and further directives communicated by the Head of Service, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola.”

In the meantime, Oluwaseun Osinbajo, the driver of the staff bus that was involved in the collision, has been charged with manslaughter.

The state administration claims that after he has recovered, he will be charged in court.

PDP stakeholders from Ayu’s Igyorev ward demonstrated in support of him on Tuesday at the party headquarters.

They showed their support for the suspended chairman and approved giving him their vote of confidence.

Addressing journalists, a ward executive member, Stephen Shimahile, said “We categorically disclaim and disassociate ourselves from the purported letter of vote of no confidence and suspension of Senator Iyorchial Ayu as a member of PDP in Igyorov Council Ward of the Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State dated the 24th day of March 2023 circulating in the media

“The executive committee members have never discussed in any of our meetings prior to election or post-2023 general election about the conduct of the national chairman in line with chapter 10 section 57 of the party’s Constitution 2017 as amended.

“The executive committee members have stated clearly that they have no knowledge of the letter and have not authorised anybody whatsoever to generate such mischievous letter on behalf of the executive committee.’’

He emphasized that no member of the PDP executive committee of the Igyorov council ward signed the letter or caused it to be signed on their behalf. He said the signatures on the letter were fake.

“The names of the executive committee members are wrongly written and spelt which showed the desperation of the mischief-makers,” he stated.

Senator Iyorchia Ayu, the former national chairman of the People’s Democratic Party who was suspended from that office on Tuesday, will challenge his suspension in front of the Benue State High Court in Makurdi on Monday.

Simon Imobo-tswam, Ayu’s Special Assistant on Communication, told our correspondent about this not long after the party declared that Umar Damagum Ayu, the Deputy National Chairman (North), had been named the acting national chairman.

He declared that Ayu would take the suspension decision to court.

Ayu was suspended on Sunday by the Igorov ward executive committee in the Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State for allegedly engaging in anti-party activities and failing to pay his dues.

In response to a lawsuit brought by a former adviser to the state governor, Conrad Utaan, the Benue State court prohibited Ayu from posing as the party chairman after the suspension.

The first and second respondents were identified as Ayu and the PDP, respectively.

A hearing in the matter has been scheduled for April 17.

However, in response to a query from his Special Assistant on Communication confirmed his principal’s intention to legally challenge the court order.

Imobo-tswam answered “yes” to the question of whether his troubled principal will contest the court ruling prohibiting him from posing as the PDP national chairman without considering further inquiries.

Nonetheless, he went on to say that the PDP “had said everything regarding the subject. There is no need to elaborate further.

In a brief chat with journalists in Abuja, Damagum stated that he was acting as the party’s leader in order to “fulfill all righteousness.”

He said, “We are here to fulfil all righteousness.  We have a court order restraining our national chairman and we are law-abiding. I will be here with you in an acting capacity pending the determination of the court.

‘’I want to use this opportunity to enjoin you to give me the cooperation we all used to have with you. I will have a meeting immediately after this session with the NWC (National Working Committee) to review what is happening in the party.”

Africa’s Uganda Airlines is restarting direct flights to Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. The two countries are excited at the possibility of boosting connectivity and trade, especially as Uganda Airlines was reborn in 2023.

According to the Ugandan news website NewVision, the flights are intended to be a means of patching up relations between the neighboring countries of Rwanda and Uganda.

After difficult times starting in 2018 until 2022, when the border was reopened – Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs hailed the progress towards healing.

“We are brothers and sisters. Indeed, there have been some difficulties but with the consensus reached by our leaders, progress has been made in normalizing relations. I am confident that through joint efforts, our excellent relations will continue to flourish in the years ahead.”

Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Vincent Biruta also voiced similar sentiments. It’s worth noting that RwandAir already offers flights between the two nations.

The East Africa Tourism Portal also tweeted thus:
“Exciting news for East Africa travel! Uganda Airlines is set to launch direct flights to Rwanda, easing movement & trade between the two countries. This development, announced during the 11th Rwanda-Uganda JPC, will boost connectivity.”

Earlier this week, according to the Ugandan independent daily newspaper the Daily Monitor, the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) Tribunal canceled a fuel and in-flight services supply contract. The PPDA found that Uganda Airlines needed to tender the contract fairly. Being the previous contract has expired, Uganda Airlines intends to promptly reopen the contract for bids.

.This is part of the ongoing corruption investigation into operations at Entebbe. Bribery, extortion, and document tampering – including with passports are all being exposed. Since 2020, no less than 26 Entebbe Airport workers have been relieved of duties as a result.

Uganda Airlines has ambitionsNonetheless, Uganda Airlines has ambitious plans for its future. For instance, Airbus and Boeing are both pitching their fleets ahead of a future aircraft order. Uganda Airlines already ordered two Airbus A330-800 aircraft.

There is also the distinct possibility that Embraer’s E190-E2 and E195-E2 aircraft may also be ordered as they offer double the capacity of Uganda Airlines’ current CRJ900s and efficient performance. Nonetheless, for an airline with only six planes – four CRJ900 and two Airbus A330neo jets – this is a significant event.

Uganda Airlines is also making plans to connect directly to London, United Kingdom. However, for the connection to happen, Entebbe Airport must meet international standards of facility and operations.

Overall, Uganda Airlines is increasingly making intra-Africa connections. One of them is to Johannesburg, South Africa to meet growing demand. The flights are now five times a week. Another connection is to Nigeria, starting last November as the first flight to West Africa.

On Tuesday, the PDP’s National Working Committee stated that Senator Iyorchia Ayu, the party’s suspended chairman, would be replaced as acting party leader by Umar Damagum, the national vice-chairman for the north.

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, made the announcement of the appointment at an emergency meeting on Tuesday. At a press conference, Ologunagba claimed that the decision was made as a result of the High Court Order in Benue State from March 27, 2023, prohibiting Ayu from representing himself as the party’s chairman.

According to reports, a High Court in Makurdi, Benue State, ordered a temporary injunction on Monday prohibiting Ayu from impersonating the national chairman of the People’s Democratic Party.

Ayu was suspended last Thursday due to alleged anti-party conduct, after the suspension of numerous other party chieftains.

Ayodele Fayose, the former governor of Ekiti State, Pius Anyim, Professor Dennis Ityavyar, Aslam Aliyu, and Shehu Schema, the former governor of Katsina State, among others, all felt the full force of suspension.

Ologunagba while addressing the press conference stated, “The presiding judge, Justice W.I. Kpochi, gave the interim order on Monday in the suit No. MHC/85/2023 filed at the court by Terhide Utaan with Ayu and the PDP as defendants. On Tuesday, March 28, 2023, we acknowledge the order of the Benue State High Court, dated March 27, 2023 with regards to the chairmanship position of our great Party.

“After a careful consideration of the court order and in line with Section 45 (2) of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017), the NWC resolved that the Deputy National Chairman (North) His Excellency, Amb. Umar Ililya Damagum, assumes the National Chairmanship of our party in acting capacity with effect from today, Tuesday, March 28, 2023.”

The PDP spokesperson went on to say that the NWC also ordered all leaders, significant stakeholders, throngs of party supporters, and members to maintain composure and unity at this crucial time.

“We are here to fulfill all righteousness, we have a court order restraining the chairman, our national chairman, and we are law abiding, said the National Vice-Chairman, North, who after the NWC’s announcement assumed the role of acting national chairman of the party.

“I will be here with you in acting capacity pending the determination of the court, I want to use this opportunity to employ you to give me the cooperation as all used to have with you.

“I will have a meeting immediately after this session with the NWC to review what is happening in the party,” he said.

Muhammad Suleiman, the national youth leader, Kamaldeen Adeyemi Ajibade, SAN, Ahmed Yayari Mohammed, the national treasurer, Umar Bature, the national organizing secretary, Daniel Woyegikuro, and senator Samuel Anyanwu, the national secretary, were some of the NWC members present.

Dapo Abiodun, the re-elected governor of Ogun state has appointed Mr. Kolawole Peter Fagbohun as the new Head of Service in the state.

This was stated in a statement made in Abeokuta by Mr. Tokunbo Talabi, Secretary to the State Government.

The statement claims that the appointment is effective right away. Fagbohun succeeds Dr. Nafiu Aigoro, who retired from public service last Friday .

Fagbohun was the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs prior to his appointment as Head of Service.

Along with other positions, he had served as permanent secretary for the Bureau of Cabinet and Special Services and the Bureau of Service Matters.

He was born on April 10th, 1964, and was raised in the Ilobi community of Ogun State’s Yewa South Local Government Area. Holder of a B.Sc degree in Political Science (2nd Class Upper Division Honours) from the University of Benin in 1988 and M.Sc degree in Industrial Relations and Personnel Management from the University of Lagos in 1995, the new HoS has attended several International and Local Management and Leadership Training Programmes, including Performance and Change Management at International Management Training Centre, Worthing, West Sussex, England.

Pastors in Kaduna State met Senator Uba Sani, the incoming governor of Kaduna, and expressed their support for the party’s (APC) plans for the state.

The pastors claimed that despite being incorrectly called to as “APC Pastors,” they were actually Progressive Pastors from Kaduna State.

Pastors under the leadership of Rev. Ayokunle Adebayo expressed concern for Kaduna State’s continued growth and development and expressed a desire to work with the Uba Sani administration in the state.

Pastors like Rev. Emmanuel Ayokunke Adebayo, Pastor Madugu, Elder Godson Eyitayo, Pastor Ruth Waziri, Mrs. Jumani Adamu, Wisdom Alpabio, Emmanuel John, Pastor Samuel Aska, Rev. Seth Yahaya Bako, Rev. Boru, and Rev. Elisha Bulus have claimed that they were marginalized by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and that their leader received threats during the election.

Many people referred to them as APC pastors, but that didn’t bother them, according to Rev. Adebayo, National Coordinator of the Progressive Pastors in Kaduna State.

” Since you started the election, I’ve not slept because of threats of attacks”, the Christian leader told Uba Sani. 

” We came up with an observer group to monitor the election,” he said. 

He alleged that there were places where a lot of malpractices took place during the election, “but we stood our ground.”

He said, “although CAN  sidelined us, we shall support you for the next coming 4 years and beyond.

” We would also like to counsel,start building bridges…there were sharp bitterness that characterised the election,” they alleged. 

Uba Sani, who was overjoyed, promised the Pastors that his upcoming administration would make Kaduna State much more united in several photo sessions.

Glory Okon was allegedly fatally stabbed by a woman named Annie Ofili at her home in the Ajah neighborhood of Lagos State’s Greenville Estate, Badore.

It was learned that Okon visited Ofili at her home on the day of the incident.

At the suspect’s house, the two of them got into a discussion that turned into an argument that turned into a fight.

During the altercation, Ofili allegedly went for a knife in the kitchen and stabbed her friend in the neck.

When describing the circumstances surrounding the events that resulted in Okon’s death, a source claimed that nobody knew what started the fight and that attempts to open the door to remove them from one other after hearing them shouting had failed.

However, according to the source, the landlord and other residents of the building forced the door to open, and when they entered Ofili’s apartment, they allegedly found that she had stabbed Okon in the neck and back.

The source stated, “We heard both of them shouting in the room of one of the tenants and quickly ran there. When we got there, we met the door locked, forced it open and rushed in.

“When we entered, we met Ofili on top of her friend with a knife, and her friend was in a pool of blood with knife stabs in her neck and at the back”

The source claimed that Okon was rushed to the general hospital at CMS, Lagos Island, in an effort to save her, but when she arrived there, a doctor on duty confirmed she had passed away.

Ofili’s landlord reportedly reported the incident to the Ajah Police Station for investigation.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident.

He said, “Yes, I am aware of the incident. It happened around 5.50pm on Sunday. The Divisional Police Officer, Ajah Division, got a distress call from the landlord living at Greenville Estate, Badore, Ajah, Lagos State.

“The landlord said around 1.20pm, one of his tenants, Annie Ofili, murdered her girlfriend, Glory Okon, who came to visit her, with a kitchen knife.

“Upon receiving the information, a team of detectives was sent to the address and the lady was arrested and the kitchen knife was recovered as an exhibit.”

According to Hundeyin, the suspect would be sent to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba, for a covert inquiry after the body was taken away and put at the Mainland General Hospital mortuary, Yaba, for autopsy and preservation.

Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, the Chairman of the Elders Forum of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, called a report attributed to him (Iwuanyanwu) that he claimed the Yorubas were political rascals fake news on Monday.

Iwuanyanwu disclosed this information to reporters in Owerri while denying involvement in the aforementioned narrative during his weekend vacation to Awka, Anambra state, to celebrate Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s one-year anniversary in office.

The wise man claimed that blackmailers used his statement to manipulate and spread on social media.

Iwuanyanwu’s words were, “My awareness has been drawn to fake news circulating on social media completely misrepresenting the statement I made at Awka Anambra State in connection to the killings, destructions of properties, and harassment of Igbos in Lagos during the recent elections. My statement was covered live by Arise Television, Channels, and many other electronic and print media houses. All Nigerians of goodwill who care should get the true transcript of my statement from any of these media houses.

“I want to make it abundantly clear that at no time did I make the statement credited to me by blackmail circulating on social media that Yorubas are political rascals as this was fraudulently manipulated. I want to warn all perpetrators of this fake news that it is a criminal offence to circulate fake news against a peace-loving Nigerian. For the avoidance of doubt, I am a senior citizen who has meritoriously served Nigeria.

“The Seven Igbo Speaking States namely: Rivers, Delta, Imo, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, and Enugu States have also honoured me with the Traditional Title of AHAEJIAGAMBA NDIGBO. I am indeed the first Igbo man to be so honoured. As a professional Engineer, I have been honoured with numerous merit Awards including the ng institution of an annual lecture series in my name by my Colleagues in appreciation of my contributions to Engineering, Science Society, and Humanity.

“I am the Grand Patron of many youth organizations in the Country. Most of my close friends who have influenced my business and professional life are from the m Northern and Western parts of Nigeria. For instance, I am the Balogun Babaguwan of Ibadan land. I have also been honoured with Chieftaincy titles by numerous Yoruba Obas.

“I am no doubt an honorary citizen of Yoruba land. I have many personal friends and staff of my various companies including directors who are Yorubas. Most of them played major roles in shaping my economic Destiny, therefore do not have any reason whatsoever to in the Yoruba tribe whom I regard with great respect.”

He added, “What I did at the ceremony was to admonish Igbos who felt threatened by various attacks in Lagos that they have no cause to worry because there are no problems between Igbos and Yorubas, I, therefore told them to stay in Lagos and go about their normal businesses. I did however mention to them that the attackers are political rascals and their action does not reflect the good relationship between Yorubas and Igbos.

“Having said this, on a personal note, I must comment as follows: I felt very sad that a Nigerian should be denied his democratic right to vote for any candidate of his choice because of his tribe. What happened to Igbos in Lagos was in the press and Igbos are very grateful to those distinguished well-meaning Yorubas who group to speak against the killings, injuries, eyes, and destruction of properties of Igbos in Lagos only because they got for ed the candidates of their choice,” he said.

A domestic servant, Joseph Ogbu, was sentenced to death by hanging by a Lagos State high court on Monday for the murders of his employer, Adejoke John, 89, and her daughter, Oreoluwa, at their house in the Surulere neighborhood of the city.

The verdict was delivered by Justice Modupe Nicole-Clay after she determined that the defendant had committed three charges of armed robbery and murder.

On October 22, 2019, the Lagos State Government arraigned Ogbu after his arrest.

He was accused of three counts of armed robbery and murder that the state had preferred against him.

The prosecution asserts that the offense violated Sections 222 and 297 of the Lagos State Criminal Code of 2015.

Ogbu denied the accusation leveled against him.

On June 19, 2019, Ogbu killed Adejoke by strangling her and her unborn daughter with a knife.

The elderly woman’s Toyota Camry Saloon automobile with a license plate, FST 104 CW, LG plasma TV, motorway handset, one Gionee handset, one Nokia phone, one i-Tel phone, and one power bank were also stolen by the convict.

The incident, according to the state’s Surulere district’s prosecutor, happened at No. 4 Ogunlana Drive at about 9.30 p.m.

Nicole-Clay, the trial judge, ruled that Ogbu had admitted to the crime in her ruling.

She said, “He killed one Adejoke by strangling her, and one Oreoluwa by stabbing her to death.

“I have considered the evidence of the security guard, an Okada man, one Yahya Ibrahim, the house help, and a policeman.”

According to Nicole-Clay, the defendant was the only witness to the incident and acknowledged to living with the deceased mother and daughter.

She claimed that the defendant did not object to the confessional statement’s admissibility.

“There’s no doubt that the defendant confessed to the crimes,” Nicole-Clay said.

The judge stated that the defendant was unable to explain what he was doing with all of the stolen goods that he was discovered in possession of around 2 am on the day of his arrest.

“The evidence is shown to the satisfaction of this court and the court has established guilt against the defendant. He is hereby guilty as charged,” Nicole-Clay said.

After convicting him, the judge told Ogbu, “I have to hear from you, you have been found guilty.”

In his response, the convict, who spoke in Pidgin English, said, “The mama no die for my presence. I beg for mercy.”

In his allocutus, the defence counsel, Moses Enema, told the judge, “The defendant is a first-time offender, a son to a young widow, largely dependent on this son.

“In the course of the trial, my lord, the defendant was very remorseful; it’s an indication that he is willing to turn a new leave. We do pray the court to temper justice with mercy.”

Nicole-Clay pronounced, “This court has found Joseph Ogbu guilty of these heinous crimes, you are hereby sentenced to death by hanging.”