RTEAN decries extortion of members by Sanwo-Olu’s caretaker committee – Newstrends
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RTEAN decries extortion of members by Sanwo-Olu’s caretaker committee

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RTEAN’s Executive National President, Musa Mohammed

The leadership of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) has expressed displeasure at the alleged extortions of its members by the caretaker committee for the association constituted by the Lagos State government.

RTEAN’s executive national president, Musa Mohammed, told journalists in Lagos that its members would not pay any “illegal” levy to the caretaker committee.

Mr Mohammed said that members had been compelled to buy union tickets despite the suspension of operations.

“They have hijacked our operations because it is the same thing that we are doing that the committee the government set up is doing too,” he said.

On September 29, 2022, the government suspended all activities of RTEAN. It dissolved the union’s elected executive members in the state following some pockets of violence recorded in Ojo and Lagos Island the same day.

Also, the leadership of RTEAN, before the ban, had announced the suspension of one of its Lagos State vice-chairmen, Oluwaseyi Bamgbose, popularly known as ‘Student’, for allegedly instigating unrest in the association.

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Consequently, Sola Giwa, the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Transportation, announced the constitution of a 35-man caretaker committee to take over the union’s activities.

However, Mr Mohammed lamented, “The government said they had suspended our operations in the state, and our operation is for us to sell our tickets.

“The government has asked the committee to print tickets, and that is the ticket they are selling now to our members.

“Immediately after our last press release was out, the committee called another meeting to dissolve our constituted zones and chapels because those zones and chapels could not collect the five million naira and N400,000 they initially proposed to collect respectively.

“The association has about 350 chapels and 50 zones; asking all the 350 chapels and 50 zones to bring money to the chairman of the caretaker committee directly just because the collection of N5 million and N400,000 did not work,” he said. “This cannot work.”

The RTEAN boss urged all members not to take union money to anyone, adding, “If it is tax, we will know it is tax.”

“This one that the government says they have suspended us and now put someone to head a committee to collect money for the state government or himself, we will not agree,” he stated.

Mr Mohammed called on the state government to address the alleged extortion of the association’s members.

“Already we are aware that our operations have been suspended by the Lagos State government, and we have gone to court because we are labour workers working directly under the federal government, and the state government cannot stop us.”

Decrying the suspension, Mr Mohammed said the state government should rather set up a committee to address offences.

(NAN)

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Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound

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Honourable Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab

Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound

The Lagos State Government has rolled out stricter measures to combat noise pollution, requiring nightclubs, lounges, bars, and worship centres to obtain permits for events involving amplified sound.

The measure, it said, aimed to safeguard the health and well-being of Lagosians during the festive season and beyond.

Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, announced this via his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday, emphasizing the government’s zero-tolerance stance on noise pollution.

Wahab highlighted that events with amplified sound must be conducted in soundproofed, enclosed spaces to protect residents from the harmful effects of excessive noise.

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“Establishments such as worship centers, nightclubs, lounges, and bars must now obtain permits for events involving amplified sound and ensure these activities take place in soundproofed, enclosed spaces to protect neighboring residents,” the statement read in part.

To enforce these directives, the government said it had established a Special Task Force on Noise Pollution under the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).

This task force, in collaboration with the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps (LSNSC) and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), would oversee compliance, arrest offenders, and prosecute violators of noise regulations, it stated.

The statement further noted that starting January 2025, the government would roll out a public awareness campaign to educate Lagosians on acceptable noise levels and the benefits of a quieter environment.

 

Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound

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Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says

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Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as Verydarkman

Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says

Singer, Dammy Krane has stated that social critic, Very Dark Man, is joking with claims that N180 million was diverted from the NGO account he created in October this year.

VDM shocked Nigerians on Friday, December 27 when he released a video claiming hackers had breached his NGO website and moved N180m leaving only N20 million.

The news shocked many Nigerians who took to social media to slam him.

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However, in a post shared on his Instagram page this evening, Dammy Krane claimed that VDM is renovating a school in Jos, and was only joking with the story of stolen funds.

Also, a Human Rights activist, Omotayo Williams, claimed the man VDM showed in his video as an officer accompanying him to Jos is a well-known member of the Kogi State Taxi Taskforce.

Alleged missing N180 million: It?s a prank. VeryDarkMan is renovating a school in Jos - Singer Dammy Krane says

Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says

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Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West

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Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi

Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has expressed support for the proposed implementation of Sharia law in the South-West, emphasizing its historical presence in Yoruba culture.

Oba Akanbi noted that Sharia principles have long been part of Yoruba land, citing examples such as Sharia banking and the existence of a Sharia college in Iwo, Osun State.

He stated, “Sharia law has been in Iwo for over 100 years… It’s the right of Muslims to choose customary law or the high court.”

Recall that the discussion around Sharia law gained traction after plans were announced for the inauguration of a Sharia council on January 11, 2025, at the Muslim Community Islamic Centre in Oyo. However, the event has been postponed indefinitely following widespread public criticism.

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Critics have argued that the Yoruba-dominated South-West, where Muslims and Christians coexist, is distinct from the predominantly Muslim northern region where Sharia is more widely practiced.

Addressing concerns, Oba Akanbi explained that Sharia law is already embedded in Nigeria’s constitution and should not cause alarm for non-Muslims.

“Sharia law is only for Muslims and does not concern others. If any other person likes it, they can convert to Islam, and Muslims can also convert to Christianity. Everyone is free,” he said.

The monarch also drew attention to the challenges faced by Muslims under existing laws, particularly in matters such as inheritance and divorce, where Western legal frameworks may not align with Islamic traditions. “Many Muslims feel disenfranchised… Western education doesn’t understand the ways of Muslim divorce, marriage, and inheritance,” he added.

Oba Akanbi emphasized that Sharia law represents the inalienable rights of Muslims and should not be viewed as a threat to other religions. “No government can deny Muslims their inalienable rights,” he concluded.

Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West

(PUNCH)

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