THISISLAGOS MIDDAY NEWS UPDATE JUNE 30, 2018
Togo’s President condoles with Nigeria over Lagos tanker fire (Guardian)
President Faure Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo on Friday in Katsina, condoled with President Muhammadu Buhari on the fire disaster caused by a fallen petrol tanker in Lagos on Thursday. Eyadema, who is currently the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority, said he was in Katsina to brief President Buhari on the latest situations in the sub-regional organization. He, however, used the opportunity to commiserate with Nigeria over the Thursday’s Lagos tanker fire. “I came here in my capacity as Chairman of ECOWAS Authority to brief him on the different situations in our region – the situation in Guinea Bissau; the situation in Mali which is going to have presidential election at the end of July including my own situation in Togo,’’ he said. Read more
PDP mourns victims of Lagos tanker fire, Katsina windstorm (Vanguard)
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has commiserated with the government and people of Lagos state, particularly the families of the victims of the unfortunate Otedola Bridge petrol tanker explosion, which claimed the lives of about nine people on Thursday. The party in a statement on signed by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan on Friday said it was deeply grieved by the shocking, horrid and traumatizing incident, which, in a very painful manner, cut short the lives of hardworking compatriots and brought painful material losses to many. “Our thoughts and prayers go to the families of the deceased. We join in praying that God grants the bereaved families the fortitude to bear their grief as well as speedy recovery for the wounded. Read more
Celebs embark on PVC campaign (Nation)
Ahead of the 2019 elections, some big shots in the entertainment industry have taken it as a responsibility to reach out to people to get their Permanent Voters’ Card. With the process and collection of PVC ended on Thursday, many of them queued to collect their cards at various locations. Some were seen in T-shirts with the inscription: ‘Register, Select, Vote Not Fight, Protect.’ And with the recent killings in Plateau State, veteran actor Richard Mofe Damijo, known as RMD, said that the killings are as a result of government’s nonchalance. “It’s been a few days of numbness and soul searching for me. Just last Friday, I was as ecstatic as other millions of Nigerians at the Super Eagles’ victory over Iceland, it was an amazing weekend as I had a constant smile reliving the match, but unexpectedly, evil crept up on us, went to Plateau and massacred about one hundred humans. After the initial shock, the realisation that the battle for the soul of this nation just intensified hit me hard and I have since questioned myself. Read more
How fatal Lagos tanker accident happened – Witnesses (PremiumTimes)
Several persons who witnessed Thursday’s tanker accident on Otedola Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway have narrated how it happened. Some of them disputed the official casualty figures released by government agencies in the aftermath of the tragedy. A Mack truck tanker loaded with 33,000 litres of fuel went up in flames after it fell and spilled its contents on the bridge. Official figures stated that nine people died while four were injured in the inferno, which also consumed 54 vehicles. But eye witnesses, who said they were at the scene before the accident said several more people died in the inferno. Read more
Lagos tanker explosion: It was like war, we thought the end had come –Survivors (Punch)
If Mr. Wasiu Olaitan had kept his tradition of not going out to work on Thursdays, perhaps he would have been in the comfort of his home today – hale and hearty. A 41-year-old commercial bus driver, who augments his daily income by operating as a vulcaniser by the side, the father of three invests much of his energy and time into productive activities that would help put food on the table for his family. Abandoning his native Ile-Ife, an ancient town in Osun State boasting of a rich culture and tradition, several years ago in favour of Lagos where his search for a better life has continued, Alawasi, as he is fondly called by those close to him, has not really had it easy over time. Though managing to build a small house in the Ibafo area of Ogun State to shelter his family, the middle-aged man has continued to contend with all manner of struggles in his quest for a major breakthrough in life. Read more
Most tankers carry fake certificates – Insurance firms (Punch)
Most tankers plying Nigerian roads have no insurance cover to provide compensation for victims when they cause fatal accidents, investigation has revealed. Some insurance operators, who spoke with our correspondent, worried that when accidents of huge magnitude are caused by such big vehicles, which claim lives and property; these cases are not usually reported to the underwriting firms. While many incidents of tanker explosion among others have continued unabated in the country, the recent fatal one, which occurred at Otedola bridge in Lagos on Thursday, claimed nine lives, left scores injured and destroyed 54 cars. Read more
Accra Weizo expands travel frontiers in West Africa (Nation)
Lagos shines at fair
The annual West African Travel Fair, Accra Weizo, started in a subdued manner four years ago. The focus of the fair is”Seamless Travel in West Africa.” However, within the last three years, it has consolidated to become not only the leading annual tourism stakeholders’ event in Ghana, it has created a platform for West African travel industry practitioners cutting across tourism and aviation. The 2018 edition held at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, Accra has become a kind of watershed for the fair and succeeded in getting key industry practitioners in the industry to attend, but also making meaning breakthrough that would in the years to come impact positively on every aspect of travels in the sub region. This year had in attendance eight countries: Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Togo, Liberia, Benin and United Arab Emirates (UAE). Lagos and Cross River states were also in attendance to promote their states. Read more
Lords of the parks: Lavish lifestyle of Lagos ‘big boys’ transporters (Punch)
Upon the entrance of the 15th passenger into his drab yellow commercial bus, he jumped onto the steering, beaming with vigour characteristic of a lad on a mission to complete a herculean task in a hurry. All is set for Dele, as he preferred to be identified, to embark on his first trip to Yaba, a teeming community in Lagos metropolis after waiting impatiently for his turn at a motor park in Ojodu-Berger. It was already 8am on a Monday when motorists usually battle painstakingly to navigate the heavy traffic on the roads. Yet, against all odds, the middle-aged father of three had a set of targets at the park to meet while also striving to smile home at the close of work in the evening. Read more
Desmond Elliot, Bakky Adeoye, set to shoot June 12 (Punch)
Ace movie actors and producers, Desmond Elliot, Sola Fosudo, Bakky Adeoye and Edward Olutoke have concluded plans for the filming of ‘June 12’, a movie that examines the journey to freedom in Nigeria. In a chat with Saturday Beats, Adeoye, a producer of the project, said the movie would capture the hopelessness in Nigeria’s history, injustice, thwarted destinies, soldiers’ brutality and the resilience of the Nigerian masses. He said, “The movie is aimed at alleviating poverty, which was the fundamental purpose of the democratic election held on June 12, 1993, to better the lives of Nigerians and empower the youth. The movie will not focus solely on MKO Abiola or his family but it will focus on all the sectors of the Nigerian economy and how that historic date affected Nigerians.” Read more
Lagos advocates alternative sentencing to decongest prisons (Nation)
Lagos State government has advocated for the adoption of alternative sentencing to decongest prisons in the state. The Director, Directorate for Citizens’ Rights, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mrs Tola Akinsanya, made the call after the directorate’s Prison Watch team ‘s quarterly visit to the Ikoyi Prison on Friday. She said: “Sentences for criminal conviction can take many forms, and a conviction doesn’t always mean a trip to jail or prison. Alternative sentences can include different combinations of the following: a suspended sentence, probation, fines, restitution, community service and deferred adjudication/pretrial diversion. Lamenting the challenge of over population of inmates at the Ikoyi Prison which has a capacity for 800 inmates, she said: “It is unfortunate that there are about 2419 inmates awaiting trial out of the total 2933 inmates. Read more
11-Year-Old wins National Scrabble Tournament (Independent)
11-year-old Sharon Bamidele from Supreme Education Foundation School, Magodo, Lagos, emerged the grand prize winner of Winifred Awosika Foundation Scrabble Tournament for Schools (WAFSTS). The event took place at Chrisland School, Opebi, Lagos, where the qualifiers from four Geo political zones in Nigeria and also qualifiers from 50 schools, which started the scrabble tournament competition before it went national this edition, saw Bamidele beat 33 contestants to win the grand prize. Bamidele, who is also the qualifier from south west zone, along with the N250,000 grand prize will be sponsored to the international scrabble competition that would be taking place in London later this year. At the grand finale, Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Barrister Solomon Dalung, was represented by the Ministry’s Permanent secretary, Adesola Olusade. Read more
