THISISLAGOS MORNING NEWS UPDATE AUGUST 12, 2018
Lagos blocked canal: Residents of 16 streets in Ikotun send SOS message to Ambode over flooding (Vanguard)
Residents of 16 streets around Foam area of Ikotun, Lagos State have sent an SOS message to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and relevant state agencies over flooding in the area caused by blocked Ikotun canal. The residents, including those of Abimbola Street, Oderinde Drive, Akinrosoye Street, Adelakun Street and Abogunloko, lamented that flooding had been wreaking havoc in their community as a result of the blocked canal. According to Chief Femi Adetola, Chairman of the Foam CDA, “residents have been living in fear, especially whenever it rains, due to the level of danger and destruction the blocked canal brings”. Read more
Lagos community protests alleged harassment over land (Punch)
According to the residents of the area, many people have left their homes for fear of being attacked by persons they described as “oppressors.” Calling on government to intervene in the crisis, youths of the area said their lives were no longer safe as some individuals in connivance with the police had been harassing and threatening residents of the community. Speaking during the protest which was held in front of his palace on Wednesday, Olarinde, alleged that the oppression was masterminded by a lawmaker at the upper chamber of the National Assembly. Read more
Post-service benefits for Lagos civil service officers (Vanguard)
It has been said that organisations who under-prioritize the welfare of their workers do so at the risk of ruining their organisations. As many would readily attest, Lagos State government is one of the most notable employers of labour that live by the ideal that welfare of employees is of paramount importance. Indeed, the passionate and unrivalled dedication of the state government to the welfare of its workforce (both during and after service) cannot be denied by any objective commentator. Read more
Airport road: Ajao Estate Resdents urge HITECH to speed-up work (Guardian)
Residents of Ajao Estate in Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), and motorists who use the Murtala Mohammed International Airport road are lamenting the closure of the major access road into the estate, thus causing unprecedented gridlock on that axis. Residents and motorists are familiar with ongoing construction work, which has brought explainable traffic snarl, but since Wednesday, the closure of Ajao entrance without working out other possibilities have brought heavy pressure on Osolo road, as the only inlet and outlet for vehicles coming in or going out of the estate, which also serves those going towards, Egbeda, Idimu, Isheri, Igando and other communities in Ejigbo and Alimosho. Read more
Third mianland bridge: Experts want detailed investigation of structural integrity before repairs (Guardian)
In exactly 12 days from today, the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos State would be shut for vehicular and human traffic to enable the Federal Government carry out Investigative Maintenance Test (IMT) on the facility. The exercise, which was earlier billed to last from July 27 to 30, will now take place from August 24 to 26. In explaining the rationale behind the shift in date of closure, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said the postponement, which was after consultations with the Lagos State government and other relevant stakeholders was done “in order to give succour and relief to the people of Lagos State and other inter-state road users and support the efforts of the state government.” Read more
Lagos Task Force arrests 210, Impounds 125 Bikes (ThisDay)
The Lagos State Environmental Task Force has arrested about 210 miscreants and street urchins across the state, and impounded no fewer than 125 motorcycles around Iludun Town, New Oko-oba area of Agege. Head of the Public Affairs Unit of the Task Force, Mr. Adebayo Taofiq, said in a statement that the enforcement operation, carried out based on complaints by different communities around the area, also resulted in demolishing of 98 illegal shanties built on drainage alignment and road set-backs. Chairman of the Agency, Mr. Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), who reportedly led the enforcement team, said those arrested were the ones recently dislodged by the Agency along railway line behind the Abattoir at Agege, a suburb of Lagos. The taskforce said the miscreants and street urchins were in the habit of terrorising those communities, robbing people of valuables such as phones, wallets and jewelry. Read more
ECUMENISM: Adeboye to partner Lagos Anglican church (Vanguard)
Following an earlier revelation by General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye to partner with the Anglican Communion on Evangelism, the G.O. took time from the ongoing 66th annual convention of the church to host the new bishop of the Diocese of Lagos, Rt. Rev. Humphery Olumakaiye. Adeboye had announced earlier in the year that the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby are planning a programme to intensify evangelism in Europe to bring people to Christ. As far back as July 2015 the Anglican Communion has been holding talks on the possibility of a collaboration with the Redeemed Christian Church of Church, RCCG, nationally and internationally. Read more
Thousands attend Christ Embassy Healing School in Lagos (ThisDay)
Thousands of people from Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia, North and South America are currently in Lagos attending Christ Embassy August 2018 Healing School where they hope to be healed of chronic illnesses. The August 2018 Healing School session, where Pastor Chris Oyakhilome is ministering to the sick, kicked off July 27 and will end on August 27. A statement said at the healing school, which is free of charge, students were only required to provide proof of a physical ailment or illness. “Primary proof of illness included medical records, accident reports or notes from a doctor. Students are also encouraged to bring with them secondary proof of suffering in the form of medical equipment or medicines. Wheelchairs, walking canes, hearing devices, eyeglasses and medications all counted towards this secondary proof. Read more
Restoring sanity on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, still a long way to go (Guardian)
Three weeks after Operation Restore Sanity kicked off along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, some semblance of sanity actually crept into the road, especially the Oshodi-Mile 2 axis. In fact, only two days after the exercise commenced, motorists could drive to the Mile 2 flyover encountering light traffic when descending the Mile 2 flyover. Before the operation commenced, commuting on Oshodi- Apapa Expressway, one of Nigeria’s busiest highways was hellish, as articulated vehicles and tankers occupied every available lane, including service lanes, from the ports up to Cele Bus Stop and beyond. Read more
From Kaduna, Jplux takes Lagos music scene by storm (Vanguard)
It’s a strange thing to be a Hausa singer trying to break into the Lagos music scene. Apart from rapper Eedris Abdulkareem and Zaaki Azaay, who were fortunate enough to break the jinx, no other Hausa singer has beat the record in recent times. But Jplux is stepping out to do so. The fast-rising singer who was born and raised in Kaduna boasts that he has what it takes to hold his own in the ever competitive Lagos music scene. Signed to Ranpack Enterainment, owned by Adamawa State-born show promoter, Femba Usman, Jplux has been singing right from childhood. He started his music career way back in Kaduna, where he was singing in church choirs. Read more
Dom Pérignon hosts exclusive Tasting in Lagos (ThisDay)
Dom Pérignon global brand Ambassador, Pierre Louis Araud, hosted some media veterans and influencers to an exclusive tasting for Dom Pérignon P2 1998 Vintage. Dom Pérignon is a brand of vintage champagne offered by LVMH, named after a monk who is now known as the spirit father of champagne after discovering it in 1668. P2 is the Second Plénitude of Dom Pérignon Vintage, the result of 16 years of elaboration. The opposing and complementary elements of the assemblage resound for an increasingly sharp intensity. The energy of the wine is at its peak. Pierre Louis had this to say to the tasting, “Dom Pérignon is a deliberate brand known to be a vintage only wine. The brand has given its commitment to always remain a vintage-only wine regardless of any evolving changes. Read more
Group urges families, communities to unite against sexual abuse (Guardian)
To win the fight against sexual and gender based violence, Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), in collaboration with Partnership for Justice has charged families, communities and the society, to unite against the social ill. Speaking at Partner’s Breakfast Meeting in Ikeja, Lagos, Managing Partner, Partnership for Justice, Itoro Eze-Anaba, said stakeholders in communities need to join hands to fight the menace, to reduce it to the barest minimum. She explained that once a woman or girl child is raped, it is the responsibility of the community to ensure the perpetrator does not go unpunished. Eze-Anaba said: “Rape is something that can happen to anybody. Read more
Lagos dump where scavengers trade in used syringes, other surgical waste (Punch)
Hospitals generate waste daily; some ordinary, others surgical and they all end up in a dump. The process of disposing of the waste is however largely unknown to many. But sunday Punch can authoritatively report that surgical waste from Lagos’ hospitals usually discarded at a rubbish dump often return to markets. Our correspondent who spent three weeks investigating the dangerous trade in surgical waste found out that scavengers ransacked the dump daily after waste disposal officers had set fire to the surgical waste. They usually resell picked surgical waste like used syringes, specimen bottles and other hospital disposables to people for onward repackaging for medical uses. Read more
Human Trafficking: Lagos Police arrest fake grandma, haunt woman over death of minor (ThisDay)
The Lagos State Police Command, Bariga Police Division, has arrested a ‘fake grandmother’, Mrs. Funmilayo, and a child trafficker, Adepeju Solomon, for allegedly selling two brothers aged nine and 13 as well as inflicting injury on one with a hot knife as punishment. The grandma and the trafficker were arrested on August 8 after one of the brothers, David, 9, was rescued on August 7 with the severe burnt injury he got on his left arm as punishment for buying biscuit with N50 he received from their guest. The little boy and pupil of Akoka primary school, who lived at 87, Finbarr’s College road, Bariga, with the woman, was found with rashes (ringworm) all over his head coupled with the untreated injury. Read more
Herbalist, 2 accounts clerks arrested over N2.2m alleged fraud (Punch)
The Police say they have arrested a self-acclaimed herbalist and two accounts clerks of a feeds mill in Badagry for allegedly defrauding the company of N2.2m. A police official confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria in Badagry on condition of anonymity. The source said that the company’s account clerks were shouldered with the responsibility of depositing cash sales into the bank. NAN gathered that rather than paying the cash into the company’s bank account, the duo gave the money to the fake herbalist to prepare charms that would make them successful in their music careers. “When they approached the fake herbalist, he asked them to bring three million naira in order to help them achieve their goals. Read more
Chinese dominate U-21 singles as ITTF Nigeria Open ends today (Guardian)
Chinese duo, Wang Shaobo and Guo Yan, yesterday, won the Under 21 events in the Men’s and Women’s Singles categories respectively, at the 2018 ITTF Challenge Seamaster Nigeria Open. In the tourney, which ends today at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos State, Shaobo overcame India’s Ronit Bhanja in three straight games of 11-8, 11-3, 12-10 to triumph in the Men’s U-21 category, while Yan beat compatriot, Fan Siqi in 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9 to win the women’s event. This is the first time ever that Shaobo and Yan would be winning either the ITTF Challenge Series, or the ITTF World Tour tournament titles in their careers. Read more