Photo Speak: Trade-fair - Okokomaiko Express, A 'No-No' Situation!

The situation of the ever busy Trade-fair - Okomaiko axis of Lagos- Badagry expressway is touching. 

Once an area of the road is blocked, due to on-going constitutions, the entire axis is shut-down as was the situation as seen in photos below, taken in the morning hours of Monday, June 25, 2018. 

With the "finishing-date" of the construction of Lagos-Seme Border railway and express way not-yet-known, and judging by the rather slow and discomforting pace of the construction, we are left with no choice but to call-out relevant authorities to buckle-up and finish-up this road, whiles at it, a etter alternative should be put in plan to easy the plights of people living in and plying this axis.

Death-Sentence Of Five Youths In Northern Nigeria, Incessant Killing Of Unharmed-Unsuspecting Nigerians By Headsmen....Enough Of This Madness

Notable Nigerians have waded into a recent 'death-sentence' of five men, by a Yola Court, north-east Nigeria, presided over by Justice Abdul-Azeez Waziri, over an alleged killing of a herdsman.

According to report, the men identified as: Alex Amos, Alheri Phanuel, Holy Boniface, Jerry Gideon and Jari Sabagi, from Demsa Local Government Area of Adamawa State, on June 1, 2017, allegedly conspired and attacked three herdsmen, at Kadamun village in Demsa local government area, in the process, one of the herdsmen, identified as Adamu Buba, was killed. It was gathered that the convicts, after killing Buba, threw his body into a river and injured several cattle.

Justice Waziri maintained that the case against the accused persons, had been proved beyond reasonable doubt by the counsel to the state, Mr. Salihu Mohammed. He ruled: “I hereby sentence the accused persons on counts one and two to death by hanging, while on counts four and five, I sentence the accused to three years in prison to run concurrently....Any aggrieved party is at liberty to file an appeal to the Court of Appeal, Yola Judicial Division within 90 days from today.”

Following the verdict, stakeholders across Nigeria's religious organisations have reacted: The Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN) pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari, to intervene in the death-sentence on the five convicts.

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, (PFN) an arm of the Christian Association of Nigeria, faulted the death-sentence, saying the "government should rather find a way to stop activities of the headsmen, and provide adequate security to all Nigerians". 

”it looks as if it is vengeance for a Yola court to condemn five Christians to death for allegedly killing herdsman when herdsmen are rampaging everywhere killing and maiming innocent Christians and going free. 

“Though we are not backing anybody to commit crime, we rather feel that justice must seem to have been done in the case of the five Yola people. Then entire leadership of PFN protests totally against the judgment and calls for appeal to squash it.

“It is high time the Federal Government intervened and ensure that those Christians are not killed to forestall further religious conflict within that axis.

“Instead of killing people for herdsmen, Federal Government should rather find a way to curtail their activities and provide adequate security to all Nigerians, which the present administration promised on ascension to power in 2015.”- PFN.

Retrospectively, in July, 2016, a mother of seven, Eunice Elisha, was killed while she was preaching in the early hours of the day, around Pipeline, Kubwa area of Abuja, Nigeria's capital territory. 

Before the killing of Eunice Elisha, Reverend Zakariya, a member of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), was reportedly killed by people suspected to be herdsmen in Obi Local government area, Nasarawa state, north-central Nigeria. According to reports, Reverend Zakariya, was attacked on his farm. The killers chopped off his head, arms and legs with a machete.

On March 5th, 2018, 26 persons were reportedly killed by suspected herdsmen, at Omusu community, Ojigo, Benue state, middle belt, Nigeria. A day after slain Omusu indigents were laid to rest, in a mass burial, attended by the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, the Nigerian Army confirmed the killing of 25 persons in an attack, this time in Rafiki and Dong communities, Plateau State, Jos-North local government, central- Nigeria. The fully armed attackers were suspected to be headsmen.

There are reports of numerous spontaneous attacks, and killings of vulnerable men, women, children, young and old, in communities across north and central Nigeria, by suspected herdsmen. Thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes and all they ever laboured for, to become refugees in other communities. Regrettably, able bodied individuals, have been maimed for life and forced to depend on others for survival. 

Agriculture/food production, which is responsible for over 90% of the Nigeria's wealth, before Oil Boom, have been destroyed by suspected "herdsmen". Some of these killing were reported to be Politically induced. 

Governor Samuel Ortom, while condoling victims of Omusu-clash, at the mass-burial of the reported 26 casualties, made a repeat-call for the arrest of a group of Fulani cattle breeders in Nigeria, whose reported utterances, betrayed as being the sponsors of killings in the state. 

Ortom added that the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches establishment Law of Benue State, believed to be the roots of farmers/headsmen clashes across the country has come to stay.

On their part, the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, through its National Publicity Secretary,   Alhaji Yisuf Ardo,  in a January 6, 2018 publication in the Dailies, denied the "sponsor-claim". The group condemned and distanced itself from herdsmen-killings. 

According to a Nigerian Daily, the Nations Newspaper, January 6th, 2018 publication, Alhaji Yisuf Ardo said.  "We are peace loving people, we believe in love for one another. Any Fulani Pastoralist that doesn't believe in peace is not part of us". 

Ahead of the Common Wealth Heads of Government meeting in April 2018, during an interaction with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, in London, Nigeria's President, Muhammadu Buhari, while responding to a comment on the farmers/herders clashes in different parts of Nigeria, said: “The problem is even older than us. It has always been there, but now made worse by the influx of armed gunmen from the Sahel region into different parts of the West African sub-region. “These gunmen were trained and armed by Muammar Gaddafi of Libya. When he was killed, the gunmen escaped with their arms. We encountered some of them fighting with Boko Haram. “Herdsmen that we used to know carried only sticks and maybe a cutlass to clear the way, but these ones now carry sophisticated weapons. The problem is not religious, but sociological and economic. But we are working on solutions". Buhari said.

Following this development, key questions on Herdsmen attack remain:

• Who are these 'armed-to-the-teeth' herdsmen?
• Where do they really come from?
• Who is/are their sponsors?
• Why have they eluded apprehension and apprehension and Justice thus far?
• If they are from Libya, or neighbouring Senegal and The Gambia, is the Libyan, Senegal and The Gambia Governments aware of this development?
• What concrete measures are the Nigerian, Libyan, Senegalese and The Gambian governments putting in place to end this menace?

Police Investigates Damboa Suicide Bombings, Urges Residents To Remain Vigilant!

Scores were reportedly killed, some main-stream reports puts casualty figure at between 31 and 32 following a bomb attack at Abachari area, outskirts of Damboa Local Government Area Borno state, north-eastern Nigeria.  

Police reports put the number of casualties at 21.

The bomb attack, which was carried out by six suicide bombers main-stream reports said, left between 48 and 84 people injured. 

Information made available by the Bornu state Command, through its  Public Relations Officer, Okon Edet, disclosed that the attack took place Saturday evening, June 16, 2018, at about 24:45 hrs. 

“At the sound of the explosion, personnel of the Nigeria Police and members of the civilian JTF mobilised to the scene discovered 20 dead bodies and 48 injured persons in a suspected terrorist attack.

“The wounded and the dead were evacuated to a hospital while the scene of the crime was sanitised by a deployment of police EOD unit.” Edet said.

Giving details of the horrific incident, eye-witnesses who spoke to Punch Newspapers further revealed: “At the sound of the explosion, personnel of the Nigeria Police and members of the civilian JTF mobilised to the scene discovered 20 dead bodies and 48 injured persons in a suspected terrorist attack.

“Following the suicide bombings, the jihadists fired rocket-propelled grenades into the crowds that had gathered at the scene of the attacks, thus increasing the number of casualties.

“There were two suicide attacks and rocket-propelled grenade explosions in Damboa last night which killed 31 persons and left several others injured.”

It was gathered that attacks carried out earlier in Shuwari and Abachari neighbourhoods on Saturday, June 16, 2018, at about 8:30pm by two suicide bombers left six people dead. 

Most of the casualties, reports claimed "were from the rocket fired at the gathering of sympathisers". The eye witness said.

...and "misfiring by the Nigerian Army". A claim the Army denied.

The Police stated that investigation into the incident is on-going, while members of the public were urged to continue to be vigilant and watchful.

Boko-haram terrorist group is suspected to be behind this attack.

$7 Million Allegedly Illegally Kept In Heritage Bank Recovered By Special Presidential Investigation Panel!

The fight for corruption in Nigeria seems to be taking a new turn as the Special Presidential Investigation Panel (SPIP) set up by the Presidency for the Recovery of Public Property reportedly recovered the sum of "seven million Dollars ($7 million) Or (₦2.1 billion at official rate) illegally kept in Heritage Bank."

Information made available to the public by the Social Media Aide to President Muhammadu Buhari, Lauretta Onochie, on Sunday, 17th June, 2018, revealed the  following: 

• "The Special Presidential Investigation Panel (SPIP) for the Recovery of Public Property has recovered seven million Dollars ($7 million) Or (₦2.1 billion at official rate) illegally kept in Heritage Bank.
• Chairman of the panel, Mr Okoi Obono-Obla, disclosed this while briefing President Muhammadu Buhari on activities of the panel.
• The panel has also recovered ₦533 million and land worth N1.5 billion, from the “Previous Management” of NEXIM Bank. (The recovered funds and property had since been returned to the bank.)
• The panel has also recovered and returned to the National Theatre, ₦24 million which was diverted by some directors of the agency.
• Also recovered, were 2 hectares of land in Abuja valued at over N2 billion, belonging to the National Council of Arts and Culture.
• The panel went on and recovered and returned a part of Agura Hotel belonging to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). The recovered part of the hotel had been illegally “annexed by some so-called powerful persons with untouchable connections for over 20 years”.
• Other recoveries by the SPIP, according to Obono-Obla, are 19 official Sports Utility Vehicles allegedly made away with by former Commissioners of the National Population Commission after their tenures in office.
• He said the panel had charged a former Director in the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to court for failure to declare his assets. The assets include houses in upscale areas of Abuja, a quarry and a farm within the Federal Capital Territory, for which a court has granted an interim forfeiture order.
• The SPIP is also investigating some members of the National Assembly and former governors for a range of alleged offences. These include illegal purchase of designated official residences for principal officers of the National Assembly excluded from the monetisation policy at giveaway prices.
• Others are purchase of several properties worth hundreds of millions in various currencies, and flagrant abuse of office thus causing financial adversity to the nation.
• Mr. Obono-Obla said the SPIP was partnering with the United Kingdom’s Home Secretary to ensure that some public officers "perceived to have looted public funds and illegally acquired assets both in Nigeria and the UK”, were prevented from entering that country.
• The SPIP chairman equally told the President that the panel was beaming its searchlight on several companies for a wide range of alleged offences. Some of the companies, he said, are

1. Celtel, for alleged tax evasion since 2005;
2. Western Oil and Gas, for illegally drilling crude oil in Delta, and seven others for alleged failure to pay royalties to the Federal Government in about 10 years.

• He said some multinational oil companies based in Egi Kingdom, Rivers, were also being investigated for allegedly conniving with unscrupulous individuals to dodge their obligations to the community to the tune of ₦38 billion and $30 million
• Also under investigation by the panel is another company, which has failed to fulfil its contractual agreement to dredge the Calabar Channel, years after receiving $12 million.
• The panel has also compiled a list of over 200 past and serving public officers perceived to have illegally enriched themselves at the expense of the nation and the Nigerian people, among others,” Obono-Obla said in the briefing.
• Pres. Buhari, assured the panel of his continued support and non-interference in line with his administration’s stance on the anti-corruption fight.
• Obono-Obla said the panel would remain committed to its mandate, in addition to complementing the Federal Government’s fight against corruption.
• He solicited the continued support of Nigerians to the panel with useful information that would lead to the recovery of looted public assets.

The News agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the panel  was inaugurated by the then Acting President Yemi Osinbajo in August 2017. (NAN)."

About Eight People Injured And Hospitalised After A Taxi Crashed Into World-Cup Fans In Moscow!

About eight people were rushed to the hospital  following injuries they sustained when a taxi rammed into a crowed of world-cup fans at  Ilyinka Street, Central Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, June 16, 2018.

Photo: The Moscow Times

Among the injured persons, two-Mexicans, two Russians, and one Ukraine reportedly hospitalised were reported to be in stable condition. However, one woman is reported to be in serious condition.

Reports said the driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the crowd.

Photo Of The Day, Even Keke Dey Rock Our Jersey!

Commercial tricycle popularly known as 'keke-Marwa' in Nigeria, seen rocking the Super Eagles famous jersey around Lagos, metropolis.

It's a win-win situation....when we are united.

Gridlock Returns To Inwards Ajah At Lekki-Epe Express Way!

Despite the construction of Jubilee Bridge at Ajah area to avert traffic at the busy Lekki-Epe express way, gridlock appeared to have returned to Ikota/Ilaje bus-stop axis. Pictures below, taken in the evening of Thursday, June 14, 2018  show the situation inward Ilaje bus-stop from Ikota area. 

Lekki-Epe Express Way, by Ikota, inward Ilaje bus-stop

One of the reasons for this 'traffic return' Roving Informant gathered, is the bad state of the Ikota- Lekki Scheme 11- Ogombo road alternative route. 

...See link below, to previous publication on the need for alternative route in Lekki area of Lagos state.

http://rovinginformant.blogspot.com/2017/06/roving-informant.html

The 'alternative-route' is supposed to divert vehicles headed to Lekki-Scheme 11 area, Abraham Adesanya, Ogombo, even Shongotedo and beyond, while making the express-way free for those headed to Ado-Road, Badore, Thomas Estate areas...and heavy duty trucks, vans and pick-ups.

Lekki-Epe Express Way, by Ikota, inward Ilaje bus-stop

With the teeming population of the ever-growing Lekki axis of Lagos State, the need for alternative routes, and a major Beach-Road can not be over emphasised. It is hoped that with persistent clamour, the authorities will consider making 'alternative-route' project a reality.