THISISLAGOS MIDDAY NEWS UPDATE AUGUST 17, 2018
I’m not anti-Igbo – Ambode (SUN)
Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, on Thursday, described as ‘baseless, mischievous and irresponsible’ the rumour making the rounds that he is making some moves against non-indigenes, particularly the Igbo in the state. Speaking through the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, the governor said the reports were nothing but absolute falsehood and a mere figment of the imagination of unscrupulous persons who concocted it. The governor was quoted to have outlawed the position of Eze Ndi-Igbo in the state and making other moves against non-indigenes, just as he was said to have described Lagos not as a colonial settlement, but owned by the Yoruba. Read more
Lagos residents sleep at INEC office over voter registration (Punch)
Some residents in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State have lamented hardship in obtaining their Permanent Voter Cards from the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission. They urged the electoral body to further decentralise the registration centres to ease the process of obtaining the PVCs. PUNCH Metro gathered that some residents left their houses as early as 4am, while others slept at INEC office in the Government Residential Area, T.O.S. Benson Road, Ikorodu, in order to be among the first group to be attended to. A 60-year-old resident, Christy Fofah, said some people came with mosquito nets to sleep at the INEC office. Read more
Eid-el-Kabir: Fed Govt declares Tuesday, Wednesday public holidays (Nation)
The Federal Government has declared Tuesday Wednesdayas public holidays to celebrate Eid-el-Kabir. Minister of Interior Abdulrahman Dambazau, according to a statement by Dr Mohammed Umar, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry enjoined the citizens to use the period to embrace the virtues of love and sacrifice for the unity and development of the country. He urged Nigerians to support the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in its determination to foster a peaceful and united Nigeria. Read more
Banire claims victory for Adoption of direct primaries by Lagos APC (ThisDay)
The United Action for Change (UAC), the political machine of former national legal adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. muiz Banire, has claimed has said that it forced the hands of activities forced the hands of the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to accept the adoption of direct primaries for election in the Lagos chapter of the party. The UAC in a statement by its national coordinator, Mr. Niyi Akinsiju, commended “the former Governor for turning this new leaf,” saying that “his new embrace of the true values of internal democracy” after it hosted a symposium on the need for deepening internal democracy in political parties. Read more
Stakeholders laud Lagos police boss for accountability (Guardian)
The Stakeholders Forum On Police Accountability (SFOPA) has applauded the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, over his accountability policy in policing. The group stated that the policy has largely accounted for improved public perception of the police in Lagos since his assumption of office. National Coordinator of Network On Police Reform In Nigeria (NOPRIN), Okechukwu Nwanguma, made this known at the inauguration of the forum in Lagos yesterday. The forum, formed with the purpose of providing a platform for regular engagement with the police on issues of police accountability, was inaugurated by Imohimi at the command’s headquarters, Ikeja. Read more
Drama between Okon Lagos and Desmond Elliot on PDP and APC Allegiance (ThisDay)
The road to the 2019 elections is seemingly becoming more interesting than your favourite TV programme. With recent happenings in the political sphere, even entertainers are now gradually getting involved. Recently, Nollywood actor Imeh Bishop popularly known as Okon Lagos shared a photo of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel and wrote, “Mr Udom Emmanuel, leader, superior performer, legend. No shaking”. Movie maker Desmond Elliot, who is now a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, who commented on the post said, “Bishop please my brother, you know I won’t mislead you, move to my side o”. Read more
APC women seek more female in governance (Punch)
The All Progressives Congress women leaders in the 57 councils on Thursday paid a visit to the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr Oluranti Adebule, and demanded the inclusion of more females in governance in the state and Nigeria. The state APC Woman Leader, Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, who spoke for the team, pointed out that there were more women qualified for political offices like their male counterparts than the numbers allocated to them across the land. She said women had participated more than their male counterparts in every election held, including mobilisation, adding that there was the need for people in government to give women equal opportunity as men. Read more
Religious tolerance at play as Lagos Central Mosque opens building (Nation)
Lagos State has again showed other states why religious crisis hardly occurs despite being a heterogeneous society. A property that was willed to the Lagos Central Mosque was inaugurated on June 24 after a long legal tussle. The immediate family of the late Alhaja Munirat Muhammed refused to honour the woman’s wish to will a property located at 14A Bashorun Street, Ikoyi, to the central mosque. It took the intervention of the brother of the late Alhaja Muhammed, Bashorun JK Randle, a Christian, for the family of the deceased to release the property, but not that easily. Read more
Odili is Apostle of National Unity, Says Oshiomhole (ThisDay)
A former Rivers State Governor, Dr. Peter Odili, has been eulogised as a unifying figure and an apostle of politics without bitterness. The sentiment was expressed by the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, in a statement personally signed by him to felicitate with the erstwhile Rivers helmsman on his 70th birthday on August 15. “It is gratifying to note that long after office, you are still widely adored. It can only be a measure of the durability of the bridge of unity you built across the nation’s divides – whether ethnic or religious. Even critics would acknowledge your quintessence as the apostle of politics without bitterness,” Oshiomhole said. Read more
PDP buying PVCs in Yobe for N5,000 – APC (Punch)
Chairman Yobe State Executive Committee (SEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Adamu Chilariye has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of illegally buying the permanent voter’s card ( PVC) of unsuspecting members of the public. He made the accusation on Thursday at a press briefing in Damaturu. He stated that the state EXCO of the APC was notified of the development. “The PDP political office holders in Yobe Zone B have been using surrogates to purchase voter’s cards within Potiskum town at the cost of N5000 per PVC” Read more
Borno leads Kano, Lagos, others in birth registration (Vanguard)
Borno State is leading other states of the federation in the number of birth registrations conducted nationwide in the last five years, with 83 percent under-one registration and 20 percent under-five registration, the National Population Commission, NPC, has said. Emmanuel Mark, Head of Department, NPC’s Vital Registration Department, said this yesterday, in an interview. Birth registration is the continuous, permanent, compulsory and universal recording of the occurrence and characteristics of birth, which is free for children aged between 0 and 17 at any healthcare facility across the country. Read more
Lagos APC: How I survived power play, intrigues – Ajomale (SUN)
Chief Henry Ajomale is the immediate past chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). In this interview, he relives experience of his political journey along with Tinubu.
You served as the Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Lagos State for 12 years. What are the challenges of that office?
There are very many challenges. One, you have to look after the welfare of your members first and foremost because they will come to you for so many things. Those who want to pay school fees will come, those whose fathers just died will come, those who are kicked out of their rented apartments and expect you to provide housing for them will come. Read more
NIMASA: maritime data deserves GDP slot (Nation)
The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has said the agency is pushing for a single data window system of all activities in the maritime sector to help engender the nation’s rapid economic growth. The DG, who spoke in Lagos yesterday at an interactive session with the media, said the maritime sector which provides over 100,000 direct jobs with multiplier effects of over two million jobs, deserves adequate mention in the statistics released monthly by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Read more
FIRS shuts Firms in Lagos, Abuja, Benin over Tax Default (ThisDay)
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has continued its enforcement exercise, sealing off tax-defaulting companies in Lagos, Abuja and Benin. According to a statement from the FIRS, on Wednesday, the agency’s enforcement team, led by Mr. Umar Bukar Gana, sealed the premises of Repton Nigeria Limited located at 10, Olorunmbe Street, Wemabod Estate, Ikeja over a tax debt of N851.653 million. “The team also shut the premises of Matbeny Holdings Limited, located at Plot 290, Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island in Lagos, over tax liabilities of N26.187 million. Read more
NIM urges leaders to evolve with change (Nation)
The Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) has leaders to be more creative, innovative and pioneering, in order to succeed in modern market. They were also advised to evolve with change in the environment lest their businesses die out. A fellow of the institute, Comodore Abimbola Ayuba, gave the advice at the 2018 Awards and Fellows Day Luncheon of the Nigerian Institute of Management, held at the City Hall, Lagos yesterday. In his lecture titled: Leadership and the changing paradigms: Confronting the Dynamics of Change, Ayuba recognised the impact of social media on leadership saying the new millennium witnessed significant increases in internet accessibility, which ignited an enthusiastic uptake of networking services such as Twitter and Facebook. Read more
Current APC, not what we hoped for at inception – Utomi (SUN)
Professor Pat Utomi, a chieftain and founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is a governorship aspirant in Delta State. He spoke about his vision for Nigeria, the current state of the ruling party, his decision to contest the governorship election after twice taking a shot at the presidency and his gradual disengagement from partisan politics.
You are aspiring to contest the governorship election in Delta State in February 2019. What informed that decision?
I took a position after 2015 as my 60th birthday approached that I was going to go into instrumental disengagement from public service since retirement age in Nigeria is 65. I decided that I would begin a quite disengagement from public service. Read more
Ambode govt spends over 100mn euros on Lagos light rail project (PremiumTimes)
The current administration in Lagos State has spent up to 200 million euros on the first phase of the ongoing light rail project in the state, popularly known as Blue Line. The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Ladi Lawanson, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday. The Blue Line Light Rail runs from Badagry in the western flank of Lagos to Marina on the Lagos Island. Mr Lawanson said the administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had spent between 100 million euros and 200 million euros since it inherited the project from the previous administration. Read more
Lagos media marathon debuts (Vanguard)
The Lagos Media Marathon will make its first outing tentatively in the first week of December, and the the Nigeria Union of Journalists Lagos chapter is hoping that media practitioners will turn up in their numbers to participate. According to the chairman Lagos Media Marathon Committee Mr. Tony Ubani, the marathon is meant to boost fitness and friendship amongst members of the pen fraternity. “Journalists need exercise and its not like the press-ups we do in our homes and we think that its enough. We are looking at having the race quarterly. “Further more we are also thinking about bring out the best of Lagos journalists, the old timers they should come and and at least walk the distance,” Ubani said. Read more
Ex-banker arrested on wedding day over alleged N1m theft (Punch)
A 37-year-old ex-marketing officer of Addosser Micro-Finance Bank Plc, Aliu Mustapha, on Thursday appeared before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos over alleged N1m theft. The defendant, of No. 8, Oremeji St., Lagos, was arrested on his wedding day, and is facing trial on a charge of stealing preferred against him by the Police. However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge. The prosecutor, Sgt. Samuel Mishozunnu, told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offence between May and June 2017, during working hours, at No. 32, Lewis St., Lagos Island. Read more
23 cartons of military boots seized in Lagos (Nation)
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) yesterday intercepted 23 cartons of military boots and other prohibited items at the Lagos port. The items were seized at the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal Command by its Area Comptroller, Mrs L. S. R. Wushishi. Displaying the seized items, the area comptroller said the prohibited 460 pairs of military boots were shipped into the country from Bahamas and concealed by the scrupulous importer in a 40-feet container with number SEGU 532813-6. The importer, she said, declared the items as cutting machine for aluminium products before they were discovered during examination. Read more
Lagos driver steals 63 phones from customer (Punch)
A driver, Olasunbo Usibajo, has been arrested for allegedly stealing 63 mobile phones. Punch Metro learnt that a phone retail outlet, Gloryland Communications Service Limited, Lagos, on June 11 sent a carton of 146 phones through Usibajo to a customer of the firm in Abuja. It was gathered that the 48-year-old driver opened the carton and allegedly stole 63 of the phones. Our correspondent learnt that when the customer collected the goods, he noticed that 63 phones were missing and subsequently called the management of Gloryland Communications Service Limited. Read more
BDC operator’s murder sparks violence in Lagos hotel (Nation)
Violence erupted on Wednesday night at a hotel in Ebute-Meta on Lagos Mainland following the murder of a Bureau De Change (BDC) operator identified simply as Mohammed. It was gathered that Mohammed had escorted a colleague of his, also identified simply as Mohammed, to Exclusive Mansion Hotel at Ondo Street on Apapa Road to sell gold jewellery estimated at N300,000 to some clients. Mohammed’s supposed clients, The Nation gathered, had contacted him with the claim that they wanted to change a foreign currency and buy three-piece gold jewellery. Read more
Mother of 5 dies after marathon sex with lover (NewTelegraph)
Police in Ogun State have arrested a 28-year-old man, Kelvin Michael, in connection with the death of a mother of five, Monsurat Idowu. Monsurat (40) died allegedly after a marathon sex with the suspect at Ota in Ado-Odo-Ota Local Government Area. In a statement yesterday, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi, disclosed that Michael was arrested on Wednesday. Oyeyemi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said the arrest was as a result of report by a man, Ben-jamin Okereke, of the State Hospital, Ota, that the suspect brought the deceased to the hospital dead. The PPRO added that since the suspect could not explain the circumstances that surrounded the death, Okereke decided to notify the police. Read more
Hotel worker arrested for trafficking teenagers (Punch)
The police in Lagos have arrested a hotel worker, Anita Sunday, for allegedly trafficking three teenagers. The 27-year-old Delta State indigene, who came from the same village as the victims, was alleged to have tricked them to Lagos, promising to give them good jobs. Punch Metro learnt that as soon as they arrived in Lagos in July 2018, the suspect sent the girls to different brothels. She was also alleged to have seized their phones to prevent them from contacting their relations. Read more
Serena thinking of slain sister shortly before lopsided loss (Guardian)
Tennis great Serena Williams tells Time Magazine in a cover story published Thursday that shortly before the worst defeat of her career she learned the killer of her sister Yetunde Price had been paroled. The 23-time Grand Slam champion was stunned 6-1, 6-0 by Britain’s Johanna Konta on July 31 in San Jose, California. The defeat marked the first time in 928 professional matches that Williams failed to win more than one game. At the time she spoke of having “so many things on my mind” without elaborating. Read more
2018 FIBA World Cup: D’Tigress to arrive Lagos on Monday (ThisDay)
Nigeria’s women’s senior national basketball team, the D’Tigress, will arrive Lagos, in the early hours of Monday for the next phase of their 2018 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Spain. After weeks of training in Atlanta, USA, the team led by Hughley Otis will have their last training in the United States of America on Saturday before their departure on Sunday for Lagos. According to the Assistant Coach of the team, Peter Ahmedu, one more player will be dropped from the 14 in camp before their departure for Lagos. Read more
Ghana accepts FIFA’s directives, Dalung insists on rule of law (Guardian)
Ghana yesterday accepted FIFA’s directive to stop the winding up of its Football Association as directed by the world football governing body. But Nigeria’s Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung insists the country must follow the dictates of its law. FIFA on Tuesday threatened to ban Ghana and Nigeria from international football unless both governments stopped interfering in the administration of the game in their countries. Yesterday, FIFA announced that the Ghanaian government had pledged to stop the process to wind up the country’s football association (GFA) over corruption allegations. FIFA said yesterday that it had agreed to work with Ghana “to offer leadership in reforming football administration in Ghana and in Africa.” Read more
Sarri eyes early Chelsea boost as Tottenham return to Wembley (Guardian)
Chelsea and Arsenal’s new regimes under Maurizio Sarri and Unai Emery got off to contrasting Premier League starts, but Saturday’s clash between the two will provide a truer test of where the London rivals stand. Failure to qualify for this season’s Champions League provoked big changes at both clubs. But while Chelsea are used to the upheaval of coaches coming and going under Roman Abramovich, Arsenal are still settling into Emery’s new era after 22 years with Arsene Wenger in charge. Read more
Donald Trump’s ‘disrespectful’ tribute to Aretha Franklin has not gone down well (Marieclaire)
‘She worked for me on numerous occasions’
Donald Trump never fails to be controversial, and from his greeting the Queen with a handshake to making friends with Putin, the past few months have been no exception. This week the 72-year-old caused a storm, after he paid a controversial tribute to the late Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, who it was announced had tragically died this week. The Respect singer was the embodiment of 60s female empowerment. A mother at 12 and Queen of Soul by the time she was 24, she belted out powerful inspirational lyrics about feminism, while proudly telling it how it is. She was an icon – even going on to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Read more
US ex-security chiefs back John Brennan in Donald Trump war on words (BBC)
A dozen former US intelligence leaders have backed ex-CIA chief John Brennan after his security clearance was revoked by President Donald Trump. The former CIA and national intelligence bosses called Mr Trump’s move “an attempt to stifle free speech” in a joint statement on Thursday. Mr Trump is keen to strip other high-ranking officials of access to classified information, US media say. The nine people currently on a review list have all criticised the president. Many have also been involved in the investigation into Mr Trump’s 2016 election campaign’s alleged collusion with Russia. Read more
Malaysia’s Prime Minister to visit China (Plenglish)
Malaysia Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad will arrive in China tomorrow as part of an official visit to discuss infrastructure projects between both countries. In a statement, the Malaysian Foreign Ministry pointed out that it expects a cordial rapproachment from Mahathir when it meets with President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Li Keqiang and other leaders. About 20 billion dollars in infrastructure contracts between Kuala Lumpur and Beijing have been suspended since Mahathir came to power three months ago because of concerns that they would be supported by his predecessor, Najib Razak, now embroiled in a corruption scandal. Read more