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BREAKING: Lagos Assembly to hold public hearing on land grabbing

Published

1 month ago

March 19, 2024

BREAKING: Lagos Assembly to hold public hearing on land grabbing

The menace of land grabbing was a major topic for debate on the floor of the Lagos state House of Assembly on Tuesday, March 19, as lawmakers agreed that a public hearing be organised as part of urgent solutions.

The planned stakeholders’ meeting would be all-encompassing involving the state government, the police, the judiciary, traditional rulers and others.

Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, said land grabbing has become “a serious issue that is beyond disturbing. It is chaotic. Many people have been killed, some maimed and some locked up without trial just because of the existence of some people who have turned themselves to land grabbers.”

In a statement issued by his chief press secretary, Eromosele Ebhomele, Obasa frowned at cases where land speculators write petitions and with the connivance of security officials, the real owners of the properties are arrested, taken to Abuja and forced to sign undertakings that would bar them from the same land they bought from their toiling.

The speaker, who said these land grabbers often attack new and developing areas in Ikorodu, Epe, Ojo and others, added: “I wonder how somebody would just invade people’s properties and still exude such boldness and confidence, kill the owner or bring police.”

Obasa, recalling his own experience sometime ago, further added: “what do you think of the fate of a resident who struggles to own a property, struggle to start building on it only for somebody to just suddenly take over the land making life difficult for him?”

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He also raised concerns over delays and multiple judgements from courts while urging the state government to consider commensurate compensations for land owners whose properties are taken over in overriding public interest.

“Land is a source of wealth for its owners and when government acquires it, there must be a process in place for adequate compensation. If not, how do you expect such people to get out of poverty?” he asked.

Moving the motion under ‘Matter of Urgent Public Importance’ earlier, Hon. Kazeem Olayinka (Mushin Constituency 2), implored the House to organise a meeting with the stakeholders to address the problem.

In his contribution, Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu (Eti-Osa 2) stressed the importance of focusing on the enforcement of the law against land grabbing.

He urged the establishment of a dedicated agency to effectively handle cases.

Other lawmakers who contributed to the debate harped on the need for stronger enforcement of the extant laws relating to land grabbing.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State House of Assembly has commiserated with the Olubadan-in-council over the demise of Oba Lekan Balogun, the 42nd Olubadan. The House also condoled the Nigerian Army over the killing of its personnel in Delta.

The lawmakers held a minute silence in honour of the departed while the Speaker directed the Clerk, Barr. Olalekan Onafeko, to send a condolence letter each to the Olubadan-in-council and the Nigerian Army.

BREAKING: Lagos Assembly to hold public hearing on land grabbing

News

Fuel scarcity bites harder in Abuja, Ondo, Osun, others

Published

13 mins ago

April 27, 2024

Trends Admin

Fuel scarcity bites harder in Abuja, Ondo, Osun, others

There is no succour yet for motorists and other petrol end users despite the Thursday statement by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) that it had resolved the logistic problems that sparked the supply crisis.

Reports from across the country yesterday showed that many filling stations had no fuel to sell.

Some sold over and above the threshold of N650 per litre while motorists and other buyers besieged the few ones that sold within the range of N600 per litre.

While many petrol stations in Lagos sold fuel at the normal price and queues were not noticeable, it was a different story in the industrial town of Ota, Ogun State where some filling stations hiked their pump price to N799 per litre.

In Abuja, over 80% of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) retail outlets shut down their operations yesterday, creating an opportunity for a massive black market around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Although the price remained unchanged at N617 per litre at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) filling stations while major marketers sold it for between N680 and N690 per litre, some independent marketers vended the product for as high as N750 per litre.

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Black marketers sold one litre for as much as N1,200 to desperate motorists.

Some drivers who ran out of fuel in hot spot were ready to pay N1,300 per litre just to exit the danger zone.

Meanwhile, there was a sign of hope that the situation would improve at weekend as The Nation could see more retail outlets getting opened to customers at 5:45pm.

Many civil servants who had a tough time returning home from work on Thursday did not bother to turn up at their workplace yesterday.

Epileptic fuel supply in Ondo

The epileptic supply of fuel was no better in Ondo State yesterday with many filling stations also shut down.

The price ranged between N600 and N670 in the few filling stations that opened for business.

Chairman of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Ore depot, Shina Amoo, said NNPCL was not selling to IPMAN members.

Amoo said IPMAN members had to resort to buying from third parties at high prices.

He said fuel marketers are shutting down operations in the state due to low or non-profit margin.

Long queues in Enugu

The crisis was characterised by long queues at filling stations in Enugu while the price hovered between N600 and N725 per litre.

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It was N660 in some Total, Enyo, Masters Energy, Rainoil and Northwest filling stations and N660 per liter in NNPC filling stations.

Osun residents, motorists groan as petrol stations hoard fuel

Residents and motorists in Osun State accuse petrol dealers in the state of hoarding and profiteering.

The Nation observed long queues at major marketers petrol stations with price ranging between N625 and N640 per litre.

Independent marketers sold theirs for between N700 and N750.

Human rights activist Comrade Waheed Saka asked the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the State government to check the situation.

A motorist, Saheed Salako, claimed that many of the petrol stations had fuel but refused to sell.

Crisis worsens in Plateau as a litre goes for N800

Many car owners in Jos, the Plateau State capital have been forced by the hike in fuel price to park their vehicles at home.

A litre sold for between N760 and N800 at some filling stations yesterday.

The NNPCL had attributed the tightness in the supply of PMS currently being experienced in some areas across the country to logistics issues but said the issues “have been resolved.”

It urged Nigerians to “avoid panic buying as there is sufficient product in the country.”

Fuel scarcity bites harder in Abuja, Ondo, Osun, others

The Nation

News

Yahaya Bello counters EFCC on $720,000 children’s school fees payment

Published

14 mins ago

April 27, 2024

Trends Admin

Yahaya Bello

Yahaya Bello counters EFCC on $720,000 children’s school fees payment

Former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, has opened up on allegation of paying the sum of $720,000 as school fees for his children.

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, had on Wednesday disclosed that Bello withdrew $720,000 from the state’s treasury to pay for his children’s school fees in advance before leaving office.

Reacting to Olukoyede claims, Bello denied paying the quoted amount for his children school fees using the state government’s funds, saying the comments of the EFCC boss were misleading.

In a statement signed by his Media Officer, Ohiare Michael, the governor disclosed that the receipts in circulation were released by his lawyers.

Bello explained that his children have been attending the American International School, Abuja, before he became governor and he has been paying their fees as at when due.

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The statement titled “Payment for school fees: Setting the records straight”, partly reads, “While we reserve our rights to seek redress against the said defamatory statements, permit us to briefly state the following for the purpose of setting the records straight: “His Excellency, Yahaya Bello’s children have attended the American International School, Abuja well before he became Governor and he has paid fees for his children as and when due and without fail.

“His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello did not pay the sum of USD720,000 as alleged by the EFCC Chairman or USD840,000 as is being bandied about on the internet”

According to the statement, the payment of the school wasn’t done when Bello was about to leave office.

“The payment of the fees was not effected at about the time his Excellency was to leave office as claimed by Mr. Olukoyede but same commenced in 2021.

“Alhaji Yahaya Bello did not pay the fees of his children with monies from the coffers of the Kogi State Government.”

The statement insisted that the EFCC didn’t recover any money belonging to the former governor or his family members

Yahaya Bello counters EFCC on $720,000 children’s school fees payment

News

Judicial Reform: NBA seeks removal of CJN as head of NJC

Published

1 hour ago

April 27, 2024

Trends Admin

Chief Justice of Nigeria is Justice Olukayode Ariwoola

Judicial Reform: NBA seeks removal of CJN as head of NJC

The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has faulted the composition of the National Judicial Council, NJC, which is the body responsible for disciplining erring judicial officers in the country.

NBA, which is the umbrella body of legal practitioners in the country faulted the current system that made it mandatory that the Council must be headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN.

According to the NBA, “The inherent flaws in the composition of the NJC impact negatively on its ability to prosecute judicial misconduct in a manner that inspires public confidence.”

Consequently, the NBA recommended that “members of the NJC should be appointed as follows: six judicial officers appointed by CJN; six lawyers nominated by the National Executive Council of the NBA including the NBA President and six non lawyers appointed by the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, subject to the approval of the Senate.

“The Chairmanship of these bodies should be rotated between the heads of the three constituent groups.”

Besides, the NBA recommended the appointment of court administrators to take over the administrative functions if the various Heads of court such as procurement, budgeting, renovation of courts and implementation of judicial appropriations.

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“These are activities within court administration that have severally been identified by the anti-corruption bodies as areas prone to corrupt activities.

“This proposal for the creation of this office takes cognizance of the role of the Chief Registrars of courts who will under the proposed arrangements enable them (together with heads of courts) concentrate solely on the business of adjudication especially case management without distraction.”

It further demanded the de-linking of judicial remuneration from that of the civil service, noting that there had always been an informal linkage between judicial salaries and that of senior civil servants and public officers.

“There is the need to de-link judicial remuneration from that of the civil/public service. De-linking judicial remuneration from that of the civil/public service would not only strengthen the perception of judicial independence, but would also provide the necessary safeguard and reassurance to judicial officers,” it added.

The recommendations were contained in proposals the NBA submitted at the just concluded national summit on justice sector reforms.