“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.
Travellers on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway on Monday experienced a traffic gridlock on the Magboro-Berger section of the road, with some lamenting that they spent almost 16 hours on the road.
PUNCH Metro had reported that the Berger construction company was conducting repairs on various parts of the road. However, traffic worsened on Monday.
Our correspondents observed that the gridlock started from Magboro, Ogun State inward Lagos State on Monday early hours.
A traveller, Oyinda Kazeem, regretted travelling, noting that she missed her appointment due to the traffic.
She said, “I had an appointment with a mentor I haven’t seen in a long time so I travelled from Ibadan. He is travelling overseas tomorrow. I don’t think I’ll see him.”
A worker in a private firm, John Adah, told our correspondent he had to pack his car by the roadside and take an okada to Lagos to meet an appointment.
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He said, “I need to get these documents signed otherwise we will lose the contract. I don’t have a choice but to run. I’ll come back to the car.”
Another commuter, who simply identified herself as Ayomide, said her boss was beginning to doubt her commitment to work as he always resumed late to work due to the traffic.
Meanwhile, commercial vehicles and motorcycles hiked their fares by over 300%, charging about N1000 for a trip from Ibafo to Berger.
A snack seller, Umar Ibrahim, told our correspondent that he had made a month’s sales on Monday alone.
He said, “Market is good. I have been making sales for a month. My Oga will be happy and I will get a high compensation too.”
The supervisor of the Lagos-Sagamu section of the expressway, Wale Adebote, blamed the rain and vehicles that broke down along the expressway for the gridlock.
He said, “Three vehicles decided to pass a path made for only two at Otedola bridge. They hit themselves and that further added to the traffic because it was hard to pull them out.”
The Ogun state Traffic Road Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi, said there was a joint operation by TRACE, Federal Road Safety Corps, LASTMA and the police to reduce the traffic.
The Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State FRSC, Florence Okpe, said the narrowing of the road compounded the traffic.
Money laundering: Court 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 City 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
Enraged residents of Hallelujah community in Osun State on Friday beat a 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 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 from Ido-Osun reportedly invaded the palace and disrupted the prayer session.
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 and vandalised the palace before security operatives could intervene.
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 had 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 would not comment on the incident pending the outcome of the 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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