metro
NURTW crisis: Soldiers, policemen storm Agbado as MC Oluomo, Istijabah boys draw battle line

Scores of policemen and soldiers stormed the Ijaiye Bus Stop in the Agbado area of the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State on Monday to forestall a clash between road transport unionists loyal to two factional leaders in the state: Musiliu Akinsanya popularly called MC Oluomo; and Azeez Abiola, aka Istijabah.
Our correspondent, who was at the bus stop, spotted about five patrol vans of security personnel who were on a joint mission in the area on Monday.
The fully armed policemen came in four patrol vans, while fierce-looking, gun-wielding soldiers stormed the bus stop in a van and remained there from morning till about 4pm when they left.
Our correspondent also observed as over 100 area boys and foot soldiers of both MC Oluomo and Istijabah seethed with rage as they stood just opposite the security agents.
A tricycle operator, who simply identified himself as David, told The PUNCH that the security agents got intelligence that MC Oluomo boys planned to violently take over the park controlled by Istijabah and his lieutenants.
“About 40 policemen and 12 soldiers came very early this morning to prevent a clash between Istijabah and MC Oluomo boys.
“There would have been a violent clash if not for the presence of the security personnel who came in five vehicles,” he said.
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The situation caused panic as traders shut their stalls over the fear of a possible clash between the two factions.
“We were terrified since morning and had to shut our shops and go back home. We just open now after the area boys and the soldiers left,” a Garri seller told our correspondent.
Efforts to reach MC Oluomo and Istijabah proved abortive as of press time.
When contacted, the spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, promised to revert but he was yet to do so as of press time.
The PUNCH had earlier reported that MC Oluomo and Istijabah boys clashed last week in the Fagba, Ogba and Agege areas of Lagos over the control of parks and ticket sales.
MC Oluomo, formerly the chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, and now the chairman of the Lagos State Parks Committee, has been embroiled in a protracted conflict with Istijabah, the state chairman of the Tricycle Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria, an affiliate union of NURTW.
MC Oluomo had rejected Istijabah as TOOAN chairman in the state and the national body of NURTW in Abuja had suspended him (MC Oluomo) which led to his withdrawal from the union and the suspension of NURTW by the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu government.
The governor subsequently appointed MC Oluomo as the parks management committee chairman despite public outrage and warnings of fresh violence.
According to a 2021 report by the International Centre for Investigative Report, the Lagos chapter of NURTW generates about N123.08bn annually, which could service the annual budget of Nasarawa, Niger, and Yobe states put together.
PUNCH
metro
Ramadan ends in Nigeria, Sultan announces March 30 as Eid-el-Fitr

Ramadan ends in Nigeria, Sultan announces March 30 as Eid-el-Fitr
Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar Sa’ad, says the crescent moon marking the end of Ramadan fasting has been sighted.
The Sultan, who is president of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSIA), said in a broadcast on Saturday night, “Today marks the end of the Ramadan fasting and Sunday, March 30, is the Eid-el-Fitr celebration.”
metro
Embrace environmental sanitation during Eid-Fitr, LAGESC boss tells Lagosians

Embrace environmental sanitation during Eid-Fitr, LAGESC boss tells Lagosians
By Dada Jackson
The Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) has urged Lagosians to embrace proper environmental practices and obey the state’s environmental laws ahead of the Eid-l-Fitr festivities to mark the end of the Ramadan fast by Muslim faithful around the world.
Corps Marshal of the agency, Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (retd), sounded the call at the agency’s command headquarters at Bolade-Oshodi.
He said, ‘‘The Ramadan fast is a testament to the willingness of Muslim faithful to adhere to the pillars of their faith and it is enjoined that cleanliness is an important religious practice in all faiths, which is why we admonish Lagosians to imbibe proper waste disposal and keep their environment clean during the celebration.”
Cole also advised Lagosians to make proper use of pedestrian bridges for their safety instead of crossing highways to prevent ‘hit and run’ cases by speeding motorists.
He equally read a riot act to miscreants in the habit of converting pedestrian bridges to sleeping areas which deters Lagosians in transit, pedestrians vowing that anyone caught w be made to face the state Environmental laws as amended
The KAI boss also revealed that the agency had recorded giant strides and would not relent in ridding pedestrian bridges across Lagos of criminal obstructions, traders and hawkers with daily arrests made alongside secured prosecutions by the Courts.
The Corps Marshal also warned Lagosians to desist from street trading, use of Styrofoam pack, hawking in traffic, patronage of cart pushers for refuse disposal, and erection of illegal structures on laybys, setbacks, medians, road verges, kerbs or around public schools in the state.
The KAI head said offenders would be made to face the consequences via prosecution in a competent court of appropriate jurisdiction.
metro
Mother, daughter who stole ponmo, stock fish in Ogun jailed six months

Mother, daughter who stole ponmo, stock fish in Ogun jailed six months
A Magistrates’ Court in Abeokuta, Ogun State yesterday sentenced a mother, Falilatu Amidu, and her daughter, Ayisatu, to six months imprisonment each for stealing dry ponmo, stock fish and dried meat valued N1 million
The defendants, who reside at No 21 Ago-Oko area of Abeokuta, were convicted on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.
The Magistrate, Mrs O.O. Odumosu, held that the evidence presented by the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt that the convicts were guilty of the offence as charged.
Odumosu sentenced both mother and daughter to six months in prison each with an option of N5,000 fine.
She ordered that the convicts should refund N100,000 each to the complainant as restitution before accessing the N5,000 fine option.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp. Kehinde Fawunmi, had told the court that the defendants committed the offence at Lafenwa market sometime in August 2024.
Fawunmi explained that Falilatu conspired with her daughter, Ayisatu, to steal a big sack containing stock fish, dried ponmo and dried cow meat valued N1million, belonging to one Mrs kafayat Alao.
According to him, one of the defendants, Falilatu, used to help the complainant to carry load from her store in Lafenwa to where the complainant sells her items.
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“The complainant asked her to help her pick some goods from the store. She waited for over an hour and did not see the defendant, which made her to go to the store to check on her.
“On getting to the store, she did not find Falilatu, and she noticed a big bag containing dried meat, ponmo and stock fish was missing while the defendant was nowhere to be found,” he said.
Fawunmi further explained that Falilatu stole the goods and gave it to her daughter (Ayisatu) to sell. He said Ayisatu received the goods from her mother, knowing that they were stolen.
The prosecutor noted that the offence committed contravened sections 516, 390(9) and 127 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun 2006.
Mother, daughter who stole ponmo, stock fish in Ogun jailed six months
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