“This unfortunate incident underscores LASTMA’s resolute commitment to preserving lives and ensuring safety on Lagos roads through proactive interventions and collaborative engagements with emergency response agencies,” he said.
Why We’re Demolishing Illegal Structures At Ajegunle-Araromi – Ogun Govt
Ogun State Government on Friday explained its demolition exercise carried out at the Ajegunle-Araromi community in Sagamu Local Government Area was to remove illegal structures on acquired land.
The Director General for Bureau of Lands and Survey, Arc. Segun Fowora, in a statement, dismissed a protest by some of the illegal occupants, even as he reiterated that the State Government would not condone any illegality in any part of the state.
Fowora disclosed that the 2-kilometre corridor was acquired in 1998 along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, while necessary compensations were duly paid to the original owners.
He said that the land was earmarked for industrial purposes by the previous administration, emphasizing that the State Government started serving contravention notices on the property owners in 2021 when people started encroaching on the land.
At the time, the structures were few and all at foundation levels. The DG said the clearing exercise began after the expiration of several contravention notices which were ignored by the affected squatters.
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Fowora reiterated the importance of the corridor, which serves as the state’s gateway to the outside world, being the major entrance to the state.
“Proper management of the axis is more desirable and controlling development within the corridor is the prerogative of government.
“All developments along the axis must therefore conform with state planning regulation. Any contravention of occupation and developments must face consequences of violating the laws of the state.
“For the purpose of clarification, all illegal occupations and developments on government land are always notified before the government takes appropriate actions against the illegal developments.
“In the present instance, appropriate agencies of government had served several notices of contravention to all the illegal occupiers and developers.
“In line with standard practice, the valuation of existing interest is usually done and compensation paid to those unexhausted improvements.
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“However, unknown individuals in flagrant violation of extant laws started building on government land without any valid documents nor title from the state and without building permits from appropriate government agency.
This is an attempt to deprive investors of the right to peaceful and quiet enjoyment of land.
“As a responsive and responsible administration, if this is allowed to stand, it will portray the state as unserious in the committee of foreign investors,” the director general said.
He warned that more of such actions should be expected across the state, particularly those who bent on violating the provisions of the law.
“The members of the public should also note that the state is wary of actions that portray her in bad light.
“Members of the public are hereby advised to conduct necessary due diligence so as not to fall prey to dubious land speculators,” he added.
Alleged money laundering: Court temporarily freezes 21 bank accounts, orders holders’ arrest
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday ordered the temporary freezing of 21 bank accounts domiciled in some commercial banks and directed the arrest of the account holders by the police.
Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order after counsel for the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police, Ibrahim Mohammed, moved a motion ex-parte to the effect.
Justice Nwite also granted the “order directing the banks to issue details of the account package(s) and to place a Post-No-Debit (PND) on the accounts, disable the ATMs while allowing inflow into the said accounts” pending the conclusion of the investigation.
“I have listened to the submission of the learner counsel for the applicant and gone through the affidavit evidence.
“I am of the view that the motion ex-parte is meritorious.
“The application is hereby granted except that the period of the investigation can only last for a period of 90 days,” Justice Nwite said.
The judge adjourned the matter until April 3 for mention.
The banks are Access Bank Plc, Sterling Bank Ltd, Wema Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Union Bank Plc, Guarantee Trust Bank Ltd, United Bank of Africa Plc, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, First Monument Bank Plc, Heritage Bank Plc, TAJ Bank Plc and Keystone Bank Plc.
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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that while the I-G is the applicant in the motion ex-parte marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1965/V/2024, the 13 banks are sued as 1st to 13 defendants respectively.
The I-G, in the motion filed by Mohammed, sought an interim order directing the listed “banks to freeze the accounts mentioned in the schedule attached to this summon pending investigation and prosecution of this case.
“An order directing the banks to issue details of the account package(s) and to place a Post-No-Debit (PND) on the accounts, disable the ATM while allowing inflow into the said account as from the date of this court order.
Youths beat Osun monarch for appointing Imam on disputed community
The crisis erupted in the Hallelujah community in Egbedore local government area of Osun State on Friday, as enraged residents beat the newly installed Ajeniju of Hallelujah, Oba Jelili Olaiya while attempting to conduct jumat service in the area.
The Ajeniju, who was installed by the Timi of Ede a few months ago, against the will of the Ido-Osun community, was beaten to a pulp by angry youths, saying he had no right to install a chief Imam in the community.
It was gathered that the monarch had last week turbaned one Ahmad Tijjani as Chief Imam of the Hallelujah community, but while gathering some people at his palace to observe jumat prayer, some youth allegedly from Ido-Osun invaded the palace and disrupted the exercise.
Some of the aggrieved youths while shouting at the monarch queried his authority to install and conduct jumat prayer in a domain belonging to a separate monarch.
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The mob beat the monarch seriously and vandalised the palace before security operatives could intervene in the situation.
A security source who pleaded anonymity disclosed that it took the intervention of security operatives to rescue the monarch from the scene.
“The situation escalated, resulting in the vandalization of the palace and a physical attack on Ajenifuja of Hallelujah, who sustained serious injuries. He has since been taken to the State CID for further investigation and safety”, said the source.
However, another source in the community disclosed that the monarch has been taken to the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo for treatment.
Confirming the incident, the Special Adviser to Governor Ademola Adeleke on Security, Hon. Samuel Ojo said he will not comment on the incident pending the outcome of an investigation on the matter.
Lagos commuter bus summersaults, LASTMA rescues 8 injured passengers
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has rescued eight injured passengers involved in an accident at Hammadiya inward Abule-Egba.
The LASTMA General Manager, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, confirmed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.
The statement was signed by Mr Taofiq Adebayo, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, LASTMA.
Bakare-Oki said the road traffic incident which involved a commercial long bus, popularly referred to as ‘Molue,’ at Hammadiya inward Abule-Egba, caused severe injuries and significant disruption to traffic.
“The accident was triggered when the vehicle, registered as KTU 801 XM, lost control at excessive speed, reportedly due to driver impatience.
“In an attempt to avoid colliding with another LT commercial bus and pedestrians awaiting transport at the roadside, the driver veered sharply, resulting in the bus crashing into the expressway median and overturning.
“Several passengers sustained injuries, while others escaped through the bus’s windows,” he said.
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He said that officers from LASTMA promptly arrived at the scene, executed a well-coordinated and efficient rescue operation.
“Eight individuals, including five males and three females, suffered varying degrees of injuries. Among the injured was the bus driver, who sustained a fractured left arm.
“All victims were immediately handed over to LASAMBUS medical personnel and transported to the General Hospital at Ile-Epo for urgent medical attention,” he said.
Bakare-Oki said to ensure the free flow of traffic and public safety, LASTMA’s Response Unit was swiftly mobilised to oversee the removal of the overturned vehicle.
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