“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.
There are indications that more states of the federation are set to confront the Federal Government over the current impasse over the deadline on the Nigerian currency.
Just last night, Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, called the bluff of President Muhammadu Buhari, who had earlier approved the re-introduction of N200 bank note which he said will still enjoy legal tender status till April 10, this year.
The president had said that N1000 and N500 notes now stand demised as they are no longer to be accepted as legal tenders.
The president, in his address to the nation Thursday morning, said those who still have the old notes should take them to the Central Bank of Nigeria for deposit.
But el-Rufai fired back in a state-wide broadcast about 12 hours after saying the rejected notes would continue to be legal tenders in Kaduna.
The Kaduna Governor accused the president of breaching rule of law saying his decision runs foul of the subsisting order of the Supreme Court which had earlier on Wednesday said its earlier order given on February 8 that all old notes should continue to be legal tender.
Three states – Zamfara, Kogi and Kaduna – had dragged the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria to court asking for a suspension of the implementation of the new naira policy.
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The three states were later joined by Niger, Lagos, Ondo, Ogun, Kano, Ekiti and others to press home the demand. Bayelsa, Edo who are under the Peoples Democratic Party also joined but in favour of the Federal Government.
NPO Reports gathered that el-Rufai’s broadcast in Kaduna was part of a joint decision of some governors of the All Progressives Congress to declare their stand on the matter especially with increasing condemnations by the civil society organisations.
Some human rights campaigners and groups have chided President Buhari for violating the constitution with his unilateral pronouncement.
A source close to one of the Governors told the NPO Reports late Thursday that other governors will declare as legal tenders the notes demised by the Federal Government.
“You will see a trend in the next few days. That is the decision of the governors. It is becoming a full blown ‘war’ between them and the president.
“They believe very strongly that the president is being misled and that this will kill the APC at the poll. So, there is an urgent need to act and appear to be on the side of Nigerians especially because of the hardship being experienced by the ordinary people,” said the source.
Recall that el-Rufai had earlier said that he was no longer able to trust the judgement of the people around the president.
It was gathered that some of the governors had instructed the Attorney generals of their respective states to see what options are there for them under the current situation.
The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which contains 68 items in the exclusive legislative on which only the Federal Government of Nigeria can legislate has banking and banking as one of those on the list.
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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