Lagos-Calabar Highway: Property owners write Tinubu, accuse Umahi of altering right of way

 Lagos-Calabar Highway: Property owners write Tinubu, accuse Umahi of altering right of way

The residents accused the Minister of Works of altering the long-established right of way in order to preserve the properties of violators

Some Lagos residents in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area (LGA) who were issued demolition notice over the planned construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway have pleaded with President Bola Tinubu to intervene and stop the “unlawful and unwarranted” exercise.

In a letter to the president signed on their behalf by Jiti Ogunye, a public interest lawyer, the property owners accused the Minister of Works, David Umahi, of abuse of power and “unlawful exercise of ministerial discretion.”

The property owners pleaded with President Bola Tinubu to intervene and direct the minister to abandon the new alignment for the highway at Lafiaji, Eti Osa LGA and revert to the original long-established right of way.

The highway has generated a lot of controversy. Also affected is Landmark, a private business that sits along the Atlantic Ocean beachfront in Lagos’ affluent Victoria Island area.

 

Iran’s president and foreign minister die in helicopter crash at moment of high tensions in Mideast

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the country’s foreign minister were found dead Monday hours after their helicopter crashed in fog, leaving the Islamic Republic without two key leaders as extraordinary tensions grip the wider Middle East.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say in the Shiite theocracy, quickly named a little-known vice president as caretaker and insisted the government was in control, but the deaths mark yet another blow to a country beset by pressures both at home and abroad.

Iran has offered no cause for the crash nor suggested sabotage brought down the helicopter, which fell in mountainous terrain in a sudden, intense fog.

In Tehran, Iran’s capital, businesses were open and children attended school Monday. However, there was a noticeable presence of both uniformed and plainclothes security forces downtown.

The crash comes as the Israel-Hamas war roils the region. Iran-backed Hamas led the attack that started the conflict, and Hezbollah, also supported by Tehran, has fired rockets at Israel. Last month, Iran launched its own an unprecedented drone-and-missile attack on Israel.

Iran’s president, foreign minister and others found dead at helicopter crash site

Iran’s president, foreign minister and others found dead at helicopter crash site

 DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the country’s foreign minister were found dead Monday hours after their helicopter crashed in fog, leaving the Islamic Republic without two key leaders as extraordinary tensions grip the wider Middle East.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say in the Shiite theocracy, quickly named a little-known vice president as caretaker and insisted the government was in control, but the deaths mark yet another blow to a country beset by pressures both at home and abroad.

 

Lagos mechanic who ran away with customer's car arrested

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The Police at Ikoyi division, Ikoyi, Lagos of the Lagos State Police Command, have arrested a mechanic, Friday Onuh Idoko who allegedly stole his customer’s Toyota car from his workshop at Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos in Benue State through intelligence gathering and tracking.

Police alleged that trouble started for the suspect on 2 April 2024 when the complainant, Gabriel Tsenzume entrusted his Toyota car with registration number APP 305 EG in his care to repair and deliver the vehicle to him but after he repaired the car, the Mechanic allegedly drove it straight to Benue State to look for a buyer.

When the complainant waited for days without seeing the mechanic and his phone was not going through, he reported the matter to the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in charge of Ikoyi division, CSP Kehinde Adedara who swiftly directed his crack team to fish out the fleeing mechanic anywhere he might be hiding.The Police team swung into action and after days of intelligence gathering tracked the mechanic to Benue State, arrested and brought him back to Lagos with the stolen car.

After an investigation by Inspector Funmilayo Odukoya and her team, Idoko from Gbadebo LGA area of Benue State was charged before the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos Island on a two-count charge bordering on stealing.

Agboko told the Court that the defendant betrayed the trust reposed in him by the complainant who entrusted his car in his care to be repaired and returned to himHe said, instead, the defendant after repairing the car drove it straight to Benue State to look for a buyer for it before he was tracked and arrested with the stolen car.

Agboko said the offences the defendant committed were punishable under sections 411 and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and Magistrate, T.A Idowu granted him bail and adjourned the case for mention.

Idowu directed that the defendant be detained at the Ikoyi correctional facility till he perfected the bail conditions.

The Police at Ikoyi division, Ikoyi, Lagos of the Lagos State Police Command, have arrested a mechanic, Friday Onuh Idoko who allegedly stole his customer’s Toyota car from his workshop at Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos in Benue State through intelligence gathering and tracking.Police alleged that trouble started for the suspect on 2 April 2024 when the complainant, Gabriel Tsenzume entrusted his Toyota car with registration number APP 305 EG in his care to repair and deliver the vehicle to him but after he repaired the car, the Mechanic allegedly drove it straight to Benue State to look for a buyer.

When the complainant waited for days without seeing the mechanic and his phone was not going through, he reported the matter to the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in charge of Ikoyi division, CSP Kehinde Adedara who swiftly directed his crack team to fish out the fleeing mechanic anywhere he might be hiding.The Police team swung into action and after days of intelligence gathering tracked the mechanic to Benue State, arrested and brought him back to Lagos with the stolen car.

After an investigation by Inspector Funmilayo Odukoya and her team, Idoko from Gbadebo LGA area of Benue State was charged before the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos Island on a two-count charge bordering on stealing

Police prosecuting Counsel, Inspector Ajaga Agboko informed the court that the defendant committed the offence on 2 April 2024 at his workshop located at Falomo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.Agboko told the Court that the defendant betrayed the trust reposed in him by the complainant who entrusted his car in his care to be repaired and returned to him.

He said, instead, the defendant after repairing the car drove it straight to Benue State to look for a buyer for it before he was tracked and arrested with the stolen car.

Agboko said the offences the defendant committed were punishable under sections 411 and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and Magistrate, T.A Idowu granted him bail and adjourned the case for mention.

Idowu directed that the defendant be detained at the Ikoyi correctional facility till he perfected the bail conditions.

 

SERAP Drags Wike, Governors to Court Over 

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sued the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike, and the 36 state governors over their failure to account for trillions of FAAC allocations collected by their states and the FCT since 1999.

The rights group filed the lawsuit last Friday at the Federal High Court, Abuja after the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursed N1.123 trillion to the federal, state, and local governments for March 2024.

SERAP also said the three tiers of government shared N1.208 trillion in April. While states collected N398.689 billion in March, they received N403.403 billion in April.

According to a statement released by the SERAP’s Deputy Director, Mr Kolawole Oluwadare, in the case —FHC/ABJ/CS/666/2024, the group is asking the court to “direct and compel the governors and Mr Wike to publish spending details of the FAAC allocations collected by their states and the FCT since 1999 including the list and locations of projects executed with the money.”

In their suit, SERAP said: “Nigerians ought to know in what manner public funds including FAAC allocations, are spent by the governors and FCT minister.”

“Opacity in the spending of the FAAC allocations collected by the governors and Mr Wike would continue to have negative impacts on the fundamental interests of the citizens.

“Trillions of FAAC allocations received by Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT have allegedly gone down the drain. The resulting human costs directly threaten the human rights of socially and economically vulnerable Nigerians,” the organisation added.

 

Helicopter carrying Iranian President Raisi crashes, state media says

A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi crashed in a northern region of the country Sunday, according to state news agency IRNA. After hours of searching, officials say they have still not reached the crash site, despite determining its exact location thanks to signals from the aircraft.
Rescuers are contending with dense fog and extreme cold in the remote, mountainous East Azerbaijan Province. It is now well after midnight local time.
The country's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian was among a number of officials also aboard the helicopter, IRNA reports.
Raisi became president in a historically uncompetitive election in 2021. Previously the country's chief justice, he has overseen a period of intensified repression of dissent, according to human rights monitors.

 

Hajj: 423 Lagos pilgrims depart for Saudi Arabia

The Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Jalal Arabi, on Friday, bid farewell to the first batch of the 2024 intending pilgrims from Lagos State to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Mr Arabi was accompanied to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, by the National Commissioner, Operations, Inspectorate and Licenses, Anofiu Olanrewaju-Elegushi, and other officials.

Mr Arabi addressed the pilgrims before they were airlifted.

For you to be called to perform Hajj, you must be extra ordinarily lucky, but it is a rare opportunity. Allah has given you the opportunity. It may be your last opportunity, to some it may be the beginning. So what do you do when you have the last opportunity? it is to utilise it so well,” he said.

He appealed to the pilgrims to make Nigeria proud by abiding by Saudi laws.

Do the dos and don’t do the don’ts. If you stay on that path, you have no cause to worry,” he said.

Mr Arabi also appealed to them not to fight or quarrel with the officials, saying when there are issues, such must be settled amicably without rancour “because we are all human.”

He admonished them to be good ambassadors and shinning examples for others to emulate.

While wishing them journey mercies, Mr Arabi encouraged them to pray for the country and its leaders, especially President Bola Tinubu whose intervention made the 2024 Hajj exercise possible for Nigerians.

On his part, the Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Olanrewaju Layode, expressed his appreciation on behalf of the intending pilgrims for the chairman’s show of love and his admonitions 

The first batch of 423 pilgrims that departed Lagos to Madinah on Friday aboard Flynas flight XY8048 has safely arrived at the King Abdulaziz International Airport, Madinah.

According to NAHCON on Friday, a total of 4,229 intending pilgrims have been airlifted to Saudi Arabia in 10 flights across the country.

SERAP sues governors, FCT Minister over spending of FAAC allocations

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The suit followed reports that the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursed N1.123 trillion to the federal, state, and local governments for March 2024. They shared N1.208 trillion in April. States collected N398.689 billion in March while they collected N403.403 billion in April.

In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/666/2024 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, SERAP is asking the court to “direct and compel the governors and Mr Wike to publish spending details of the FAAC allocations collected by their states and the FCT since 1999 including the list and locations of projects executed with the money.”

SERAP is also asking the court to “compel the governors and Mr Wike to invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission [ICPC] to probe any allegations of corruption linked to the allocations and to monitor how the money is spent.”

In the suit, SERAP is arguing that “Nigerians ought to know in what manner public funds including FAAC allocations, are spent by the governors and FCT minister.”

According to SERAP, “Opacity in the spending of the FAAC allocations collected by the governors and Mr Wike would continue to have negative impacts on the fundamental interests of the citizens.

“Trillions of FAAC allocations received by Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT have allegedly gone down the drain. The resulting human costs directly threaten the human rights of socially and economically vulnerable Nigerians.“Without the information on the spending details of the FAAC allocations, Nigerians cannot follow the actions of their states and the FCT and they cannot properly fulfil their responsibilities as citizens.

“Directing and compelling the governors and FCT minister to provide the information sought and widely publish the spending details of the FAAC allocations collected by them would serve legitimate public interests.

“The failure by the governors and the FCT ministers to account for the spending of the FAAC allocations collected by them is entirely inconsistent and incompatible with the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international anti-corruption obligations.”The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi and Andrew Nwankwo, read in part: “States and the FCT should be guided by transparency and accountability principles and proactively account for the spending of the FAAC allocations collected by them.

“Secrecy in the spending of FAAC allocations collected by the governors and the FCT minister also denies Nigerians the right to know how public funds are spent. Transparency in the spending would allow them to retain control over their government.

“The governors and FCT minister have a legal obligation to provide the information sought including the list of specific projects completed with the FAAC allocations collected, the locations of any such projects and completion reports of the projects.

“The information sought should also include details of the salaries and pensions paid from the FAAC allocations collected, as well as the details of projects executed on hospitals and schools with the FAAC allocations.“Despite the increased FAAC allocations to states and FCT, millions of residents in several states and the FCT continue to face extreme poverty and lack access to basic public goods and service

“The reported removal of petrol subsidy and the floating of the exchange rate by the Federal Government has translated into increased FAAC allocations to states and the FCT. However, there is no corresponding improvement in the security and welfare of millions of Nigerians.

“FAAC allocations received by the states and the FCT are reportedly characterised by mismanagement, diversion of funds, and abandoned projects. FAAC allocations have also been allegedly spent for other purposes such as election campaigns and political patronage.

“Publishing the documents on the spending of FAAC allocations by the states and the FCT would promote transparency, accountability, and reduce the risks of corruption in the spending of the funds.

“Publishing the documents would also enable Nigerians to meaningfully engage in the implementation of projects executed with the FAAC allocations collected.

“The report that some 140 million Nigerians are poor suggests corruption and mismanagement in the spending of trillions of naira in FAAC allocations collected by the states and the FCT.

“According to our information, the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursed N1.123 trillion to the federal, state and local governments for March 2024.“State governments got N398.689 billion while local government councils got N288.688 billion. The mineral-producing states received an additional N90.124 billion (13% of mineral revenue). In February, states collected N336 billion.

“According to the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), the federal, state and local governments shared N10.143 trillion from the Federation Account as statutory revenue allocations in 2023, with states collecting N3.585 trillion.

“Section 15(5) of the Nigerian Constitution requires public institutions to abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power.

“Section 16(2) of the Nigerian Constitution further provides that, ‘the material resources of the nation are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good.’

“Section 13 of the Nigerian Constitution imposes clear responsibility on the states and FCT to conform to, observe and apply the provisions of Chapter 2 of the constitution.

“Nigeria has also made legally binding commitments under the UN Convention against Corruption to ensure accountability in the management of public resources.

“Nigerians are entitled to the right to receive information without any interference or distortion, and the enjoyment of this right should be based on the principle of maximum disclosure, and a presumption that all information is accessible subject only to a narrow system of exceptions.

“The Freedom of Information Act, Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantee to everyone the right to information, including the documents on the spending of FAAC allocations.”

He was later observed to be sleeping on the chair and there was an attempt to wake him up, but they discovered that he was lifeless.

The Police Command in Lagos State has confirmed the sudden death of a man, who came to watch television at a beer parlour in the state.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday.

Hundeyin said that the owner of the beer parlour, whose name was not mentioned, reported the case to Elere Police Division on Wednesday at about 7.00 p.m.He said that the report revealed that a customer (now deceased), whose name and address were yet unknown, in his 50s, got to the beer parlour located along Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway at about 6.15 p.m.

The image maker said the bar owner said the customer walked into the open bar to sit and watch television like other customers, while some were drinking.

“He was later observed to be sleeping on the chair and there was an attempt to wake him up, but they discovered that he was lifeless.

“The scene was visited by detectives of the division and the body was seen lifeless on the chair without any mark of violence.

“The body has been removed to Mainland General Hospital Mortuary Yaba, Lagos for autopsy. Efforts to trace his family are in progress,” he said.