metro

Lagos govt reacts as Ohanaeze fumes over demolition

Published

5 months ago

December 1, 2023

Lagos govt reacts as Ohanaeze fumes over demolition

Lagos State has defended the ongoing demolition of buildings in unauthorized places in parts of the state, saying the action is in accordance with the rule of law.

The reaction followed the call by Ohanaeze Ndigbo on the state to suspend the demolition of houses following complaints it received.

Its President, Emmanuel Iwuayanwu, who also complained about demolition in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), said he would soon meet with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on the matter.

But Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said since the demolitions started, no one had come up to say his property was demolished unjustly.

He said: “If we say we want a greater Lagos, a Lagos that will be home for all, that will develop at the pace of other megacities of the world, then rule of law should be sustained. The government is only demolishing buildings that are on canals and drainage channels. Let’s not forget that Lagos is below the sea level, and if we continue to abuse planning laws and regulations, we will all be affected when nature fights back.

“The demolition has no colour, no religion, no professional, gender or ethnic bias to it. It’s based purely on the rule of law that people must get permits before they start any building project, whether residential or business. I am also sure no one will get a permit to build on water or drainage channels.

READ ALSO:

“And since the demolition started, no one has come forward to say his property was demolished without due process. I know a local government chairman whose five houses have been demolished. So if anyone is saying it’s targeted at a section of residents, such person has not seen the full list of persons affected or has not done his homework right. The demolition has no ethnic coloration or bias.”

Iwuanyanwu during a news conference, said: “It has been brought to my notice that many families have been thrown into serious difficulty due to the demolition in Lagos State.

“I have carried out an investigation on what has happened in Lagos, and I appeal to the Government of Lagos State to intervene and ensure that justice is done. If anybody fails to obey the laws of the Land, the Igbo leadership will never support misconduct from any Igboman anywhere they live. I don’t have any doubt that there may be some instances where Igbo and perhaps other people whose property were demolished in Lagos did not fully comply with the laws of Lagos State. If any developer with impunity and without proper approval proceeds to develop a property anywhere in the world, he is taking a risk and his property stands the risk of being demolished.

“On the other hand, if the property is properly purchased, with approvals from appropriate authority given before development, the individual deserves a happy and peaceful enjoyment of his assets. If any Government demolishes the property built with approval of the appropriate government department, such government by law must pay appropriate compensation for the damage incurred to the owner of the building.

“I will make an attempt to see the Governor of Lagos State in the next few days. I will therefore appeal that the Governor of Lagos State kindly suspends the demolition of buildings until all the facts are cleared.

“I have also got reports of violation of building regulations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja. Because of the investment characteristics of Igbo, private properties and investments in Abuja are substantially owned by Igbos.

“I will advise my people the Igbo to ensure that they comply with all legislations and local regulations to avoid demolition of their properties in Abuja and other parts of Nigeria.

He said Ohanaeze Ndigbo will establish an Ohanaeze Relief Agency to be controlled by top Igbo leaders with a mandate to support other Nigerians when the need arises in the spirit of brotherhood.

Lagos govt reacts as Ohanaeze fumes over demolition

Related Topics:demolition Featured Ohanaeze

Up Next

BREAKING: LASTMA sacks 11 officers over extortion, bribery

Don't Miss

Police neutralise over 50 bandits in Taraba

metro

Two notorious drug kingpins bag life imprisonment for cocaine trafficking

Published

20 mins ago

April 28, 2024

Trends Admin

Uwaezuoke Ikenna Christian and Agbo Chidike Prince

Two notorious drug kingpins bag life imprisonment for cocaine trafficking

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, says it has secured the conviction of two notorious drug kingpins.

According to the anti-narcotic agency, the duo, Uwaezuoke Ikenna Christian and Agbo Chidike Prince, were sentenced to life imprisonment.

The development is contained in a statement by Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, on Sunday.

NDLEA disclosed that Uwaezuoke was first arrested on March 19, 2022, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

He was apprehended during the inward clearance of an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, after he was found to have ingested 100 big wraps of cocaine, weighing 2.243 kilograms.

The anti-narcotic agency said he was subsequently arraigned before the Federal High Court, Abuja Division in charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/438/2022, and was granted bail on certain conditions after he pleaded not guilty.

NDLEA said he later jumped bail and fled, leading the court to revoke his bail and issue an arrest warrant against him.

According to the statement, Uwaezuoke was again rearrested by NDLEA operatives on 1st August 2023, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, while attempting to export 1.822 kilograms of cocaine to India through ingestion using a different passport and under a different name, Ilonzeh Kingsley Onyebuchi.

READ ALSO:

Babafemi said Uwaezuoke was again arraigned before Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court, Lagos Division, in charge number FHC/L/554C/2023, where he pleaded guilty to the two counts charge and was convicted and sentenced on 18th October 2023 to a total term of seven years of imprisonment or a fine of ₦1,500,000.00.

He paid the fine and was transferred to Abuja to face the importation case pending against him and was re-arraigned on 20th March 2024 at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court in charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/438/2022 before Justice Joyce Obehi Abdulmalik, where he pleaded guilty again.

According to the statement, he was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment despite his plea, noting his lack of remorse, the seriousness of drug-related offences, and the fact that he is a repeat offender by the court.

Babafemi said in the case of 42-year-old Agbo Chidike Prince, he was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja during the outward clearance of an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Hong Kong on 21st October 2023 for ingesting 49 wraps of cocaine weighing 998.73grams.

Upon his arraignment before Justice Joyce Obehi Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, the defendant pleaded guilty to the one-count charge, prompting the prosecution to present evidence and review the facts of the case.

Despite the plea of allocutus by the defendant’s counsel, the court, noting the nature of the case and the commercial quantity of the drug, emphasized the seriousness of drug-related offences, convicted and sentenced the defendant on April 15, 2024, to life imprisonment.

Two notorious drug kingpins bag life imprisonment for cocaine trafficking

metro

How I formed kidnap gang while in prison – kidnapper

Published

5 hours ago

April 28, 2024

Trends Admin

Gift Ogbo

How I formed kidnap gang while in prison – kidnapper

One Gift Ogbo, a suspected kidnapper, has disclosed that his kidnap gang was formed during his eleven years in Nigeria’s prison.

Ogbo, 39, who hails from Ndele, Emohua Local Government Area of the State, was arrested by the police in Rivers state during a botched kidnap operation.

He is currently in a hospital receiving treatment for injuries sustained during the kidnap operation on March 29, 2024.

Ogbo said he had never acquired a formal education since birth, adding that from a very tender age he always roamed his village during school hours looking for what to steal

According to Vanguard, Ogbo led three members of his gang on a kidnap mission, in their operational tricycle, on Nkpolu road.

They reportedly intercepted a white Mercedes-Benz ML 350 4matic , parked on the road, with two occupants in the driver and passenger seats.

The driver of the Mercedes was said to have hit a wall while attempting to reverse and escape.

He reportedly drove menacingly towards two suspected members of the gang that stood in front of the car and ran over them.

After seeing that Ogbo and another member of the gang identified simply as Oyi-Baba have been run over by the driver and rendered incapacitated by the incident, their colleagues abandoned them and fled the scene.

READ ALSO:

A mob was said to have pounced on them and was at the brink of setting them ablaze when a Rapid Response Team that was contacted arrived the scene.

While Oyi-Baba reportedly died in the hospital, Ogbo , is still undergoing treatment, according to Police sources.

From the hospital bed, Ogbo, said, “ In 2012, I attacked one of my uncles during an argument over a parcel of land and he died in the process.

I was arrested and charged for murder. While serving my 11 years hail term, I made friends with some inmates.

“Upon my release in December 2023, I returned to Ndele and rallied two old friends, Gift Kpanuku, aka Oyi-Baba and one Sunny, aka Onye-meme.

”We teamed up with two released members of the gang I formed in prison: Isaac and Ugo and immediately devised a plan to start a kidnap-for-ransom gang.

“ We stole from residents of Ndele to raise money for arms. We raised 370,000 and used it to purchase two locally made shot guns in Akwa-Ibom from Smart, a gunrunner I also met in prison.

“ We went on the first mission on March 13, 2024, at about 8.45 p.m. We snatched a red Mazda 323 from a local taxi driver to use as operational vehicle. On that same evening, we met a man and his wife who parked their car in front of a doctor’s office at Nkpolu. We ordered them out of their Volkswagen Touareg, pushed them into the back seat of the car and drove off with them, abandoning the stolen Mazda.

“ But on the way to our hideout, there was traffic .While contemplating an alternative route, the woman jumped out of the car. In anger, I shot her husband in both thighs, and we sped off.

We took him to a compound in Eleme, took his gold chain, gold wristwatch , his phone and wife’s phone which she left . We used his ATM card to withdraw N530, 000, via

How I formed kidnap gang while in prison – kidnapper

metro

Landmines kill 5 JTF members, others wounded on Borno highway

Published

8 hours ago

April 28, 2024

Trends Admin

Landmines kill 5 JTF members, others wounded on Borno highway

At least five civilian JTF members have been killed and unspecified others sustained varying degrees of injury when they stepped on landmines along the Maiduguri/Gomboru Ngala highway in Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno State, sources said.

It was learnt that the incident occurred around Gajibo village about 12:30pm on Saturday.

According to a security source who spoke to Daily Trust on Sunday, no fewer than five persons lost their lives when they stepped on landmines planted by suspected Boko Haram insurgents.

READ ALSO:

“There were devastating landmines this afternoon around Gajibo community in Dikwa Local Government Area, killing at least five CJTF members and others seriously injured,” the security source said.

A top CJTF commander in Maiduguri confirmed the attacked to our correspondent, adding they were on patrol when they mistakenly stepped on explosives near Gajibo village on Saturday afternoon.

He said they lost some members, but the details were not yet available at press time.

The Nigerian Army is yet to issue any statement on the incident.