The state government said the exercise was in line with the Onitsha urban renewal plan listed by Governor Charles Soludo on assumption to the office on March 17 to make the state a livable and prosperous state.
metro
Anambra task force defies charms, coffins, demolishes property
As the Anambra State Task Force on Demolition of Illegal Structures continues its ongoing exercise in the Onitsha metropolis despite the Monday sit-at-home, not even the presence of two huge coffins and various charms allegedly attached to a piece of land could scare them from carrying out their duties.
The land, which had already been fenced and situated near the Governor’s Lodge in Onitsha, was said to belong to an unidentified lawyer, had already been fenced and situated near the Governor’s Lodge in Onitsha.
A source in the area told our correspondent that the Monday exercise will mark the fifth time the State Government would be demolishing structures on the land.
The source said, “The lawyer is claiming that the land belongs to his family having reverted to the family after a 100-year lease agreement with the Federal Government.
“According to the lawyer, the land in question is subject to a leasehold of 1910 and 1945 between the Federal Government and his family, which yielded back to the family a reversionary interest in 2009 and the Federal Government released the land to his family.
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“He said the Federal Government released the first one on July 13, 2013 and later released the other in 2019.”
It was gathered that since the last demolition of the fence around the property earlier in the year, the lawyer went ahead to build on the land and allegedly placed two coffins and charms at strategic places to scare the demolition team from the land.
However, the government task force, comprising security personnel and officials of the relevant state government agencies defied the charms, pulled down the structures erected on the land and also destroyed the coffins and charms.
Speaking after the exercise, the Chairman, Anambra State Physical Planning Board, Chike Maduekwe, who led the task force, said no amount of “intimidation” would make the state government not to reclaim the land which he said was designated for judges’ quarters.
Maduekwe insisted that the state government had made it clear that the parcel of land was designated for judges’ quarters and had started developing the site, wondering why the lawyer, who he described as an “interloper”, would continue to trespass on the land.
Maduekwe said, “We have the directive to arrest him and prosecute him if he ever trespasses on this land again. Anambra State Government can no longer tolerate this kind of impunity and will ensure that any interloper is prosecuted.
“The government of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo believes in the rule of law and will not allow people to have their way with this kind of unlawful activities.”
The state government, through the task force, had embarked on the aggressive demolition of illegal structures in Ontitsha and environs on Thursday.
Some of the affected buildings include the Mountain of Holy Ghost Intervention and Deliverance Ministry in Onitsha owned by Prophet Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere, a.k.a Odumeje.
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Alleged money laundering: Court temporarily freezes 21 bank accounts, orders holders’ arrest
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.
Alleged money laundering: Court temporarily freezes 21 bank accounts, orders holders’ arrest
metro
Youths beat Osun monarch for appointing Imam on disputed community
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.
Youths beat Osun monarch for appointing Imam on disputed community
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Lagos commuter bus summersaults, LASTMA rescues 8 injured passengers
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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