Faces of Runs Guys Who Cloned Gov. Ambode's Phone To Withdraw N50m From Bank

The Department of State Security (DSS) on Wednesday arraigned two artisans before an Isolo Magistrate Court for allegedly cloning the mobile line of Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode in order to perpetuate a N50 million fraud.

The suspects, Rilwanu Jamiu and Balogun Stanley Oyewole, who claimed to be cocoa dealers were said to have attempted to initiate a N50 million transfer with the said mobile line.

Prosecuting counsel from the DSS, Mr. Peter Okerinmodun told Chief Magistrate Adeola Adedayo that the suspects were arrested after using the cloned mobile line of the Governor to send a text message to the Accountant General of the State requesting for transfer of N50 million on February 10, 2016

The two suspects, who conspired with others now at large, pleaded not guilty to the charges, while the prosecutor requested that they should be kept in protective custody pending the outcome of the legal advice of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) in view of the fact that their lives could be endangered by other suspects who are on the run.

But Magistrate Adedayo overruled the request of Okerinmodun, saying the DSS ought to have kept them in custody judging by the fact that their lives could be in danger. 

According to her, “Since the offence for which the accused persons were charged to court was bailable and the fact that the Magistrate Court is a court of summary trial, I am inclined to grant bail to the accused persons.”

She therefore granted the accused bail in the sum of N1 million each and two sureties in like sum, ruling that one of the sureties must be a religious or community leader within the jurisdiction of the court, and that the accused persons must provide five years tax clearance certificates.

The Chief Magistrate, however, ordered the accused persons to be remanded in Kirikiri Prison pending the fulfillment of their conditions, and adjourned the case to May 10, 2016.

Ambode Rewards 2 Police Officers N250,000 Each For Honesty

The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Wednesday, 20th April, 2016 Compensated Two Police Officers with Commendation Letters and N250, 000 cash each, for the recovery of N5 million which fell off a Bullion Van around Alausa, Ikeja.

A statement by Mr Adebayo Taofiq, Lagos State Taskforce Public Affairs Officer, said the two policemen were attached to the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit (Task-force).

”These two police officers, Insp. Abiona Hezekiah and Sgt. Ogunbiyi Agbabu recently recovered N5 million that fell off a bullion van around Alausa, Ikeja.

”The money was discovered, after due investigation, to belong to Skye Bank Plc.”.

The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner of Police; Mr Fatai Owoseni, made the presentation of the commendation letters and cash to the duo.

The statement said that the CP commended the duo for their high sense of patriotism, honesty and integrity in the line of duty.

“This heroic act and professional conduct, is in line with the ‘Change Mantra’ of the present administration which will ensure a renewed confidence in the Nigerian Police Force by the populace. ”I want to appreciate these officers for their honesty and commitment while discharging their duties at the Lagos State Taskforce,” it quoted the governor as saying.

The statement said that the officers thanked the governor and promised to remain steadfast in the discharge of their duties at the Lagos State Taskforce.

Work to commence on new Mile 12 Market next week- Ambode ..Says Eko Rice will be ready in six months

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Tuesday inspected the new Imota site, proposed for the relocation of the popular Mile 12 Market, where he assured that work will commence on the site next week.

The Governor who was accompanied on the inspection visit by top officials of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development and members of the State Executive Council said the relocation of the market became necessary following the recent clash in the area, just as he directed the Ministry to move to site and commence work on the market immediately.

He however expressed optimism that the relocation will drive commerce and investment into the Imota area, urging residents to gear up to receive the vast number of visitors that will visit the market.

“We are all aware that we had a little crisis at Mile 12 Market in Ketu recently and here is the new site that we are relocating Mile 12 Market to.

“So, our new commodities market would take off from here and so I like to give the Ministry of Physical Planning the directive to commence activities here within the next one week. We believe that if we start within the next seven days, within the next six months, Mile 12 Market Ketu will be a thing of the past.

“We are committed to doing this. We know it is in the interest of all Lagosians that we relocate Mile 12 Market. The marketers themselves have agreed; the onus is now on us to ensure that we deliver this new market within the next six months.

“I want to appeal to people in Imota that you will be having new set of investors; new set of traders and then new set of tenants. You should be very accommodating because we are bringing a whole lot here,” he said.

Governor Ambode also assured residents that the State Government will consider the possible expansion of the road network around the market and connecting the Ikorodu and Epe area, saying the relocation of the Mile 12 Market as well as the Oko Baba Sawmill Market to the axis will have multiplier effect on the Lagos economy.

“We are on our way to Agbowa now. We intend to relocate Oko Baba Market in Ebutte Metta to Agbowa and so this axis will be a big axis for commerce, for employment and then for prosperity and that is what we want for the rest of Lagos,” he said.

Governor Ambode who also visited the Imota Rice Processing Factory in Ikorodu Division, assured that the facility will be overhauled and be up and running within the next six months.

He said the intention of his administration was to intervene and upgrade the facility to a standard that will achieve a 10,000 metric tonnes per hour production of rice and also invite private investors to complement the intervention with an additional 10,000 metric tonnes per hour.

“That is the only way we can be clearly said to have intervened seriously and that is the only platform we can use to allow the inflow of rice paddy from Kebbi State. You will all recall that we just signed an MoU with Kebbi State and the intention is that we want a consistent flow of raw materials to come so that the era of importing rice from abroad would become a thing of the past.

He said aside Kebbi State, Lagos was also looking at possible partnership with other states, saying that on the long run, such collaboration will ensure that residents can consume locally processed rice within the next six months.

The Governor said that a process to make the mill private sector driven will commence immediately, adding that a vibrant infrastructure that will attract the best professionals and experts to manage the facility would be put in place.

“This is a major investment and we cannot allow it to rot away. So in the next three to six months, when we come back here, we must be eating Eko Rice,” he said.

The Governor who also visited the new site for the relocation of the Oko Baba Sawmill Market commended the contractor for the work done so far, assuring that project will be delivered before the end of September 2016.

He said the project will ensure that the Ebute Metta - Third Mainland Bridge loop which is currently an eyesore will be cleaned up, saying that the traders are excited and looking forward to moving to the new site.

“There is no form of resentment from the traders, they are excited about this place. I am assured that before the end of September, we would have commenced operation in this place. I must commend the ministry officials also that we should remain steadfast so that this project becomes a reality before the end of September,” he said.

A lawmaker representing Ikorodu Constituency II at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Nurudeen Saka-Solaja, expressed gratitude to the Governor for the proposed relocation of the Mile 12 Market to Imota, just as he urged the government to commence the project in earnest.

Also speaking, the Ranodu of Imota, Oba Adeniyi Agoro, thanked Governor Ambode for considering the area for such laudable projects, assuring that the residents will cooperate with the government to ensure the success of the projects.

Ambode 'Abolishes' Lagos Monthly Environmental Sanitation

Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State

A Statement credited to Lagos State Government suggests that the monthly environmental sanitation which often heralded with restriction of human and vehicular movement has been abolished.

According to a statement made by the state Commissioner for the environment, Babatunde Adejare, during the ministry's monthly media chat in Lagos, stated that the Lagos State Government has canceled the 'restriction of movement order' during sanitation days. 

He added that the state governor Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode says the state cannot afford to monthly shut down a mega city like Lagos for a period 3 hours. 

The statement further said, environmental sanitation should rather be a daily exercise. He wants residents to make it way of life instead.

The government also vowed to shut down markets violating the state's environmental laws in 7 days.

Lagos At 50: Lagos Indigenes REJECT Soyinka As C'ttee Chairman

PM News - There is an uproar among prominent Lagos indigenes over the appointment of Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka as the co-chairman to head the Lagos at 50 Celebration Committee.

Lagos governor, Akinwunmi Ambode had appointed Soyinka and Rasheed Gbadamosi as co-chairmen of the Lagos at 50 celebration which comes up next year.

Lagos indigenes, under the aegis Eko Foundation decried the appointment of Soyinka who is not an indigene of Lagos State, while they lamented that Lagos indigenes had been marginalized in their own land as people from other states were taking the appointment meant for them.

At a news conference at the weekend in Surulere area of Lagos, the indigenes also rejected the appointment of former Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mrs Ifueko Omo-Okauro as the Chairman of a committee to manage the N25 billion Employment Trust Fund, ETF by Ambode.

At the press conference were Prof. Oluwole Smith, former Lagos Commissioner, Peju Philips; former Special Adviser on Environment during Babatunde Fashola regime, Taofiq Folami; former Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary, Lagos Ministry of Justice, Lawal Pedro; the Oba Akran of Badagry, represented by Chief Gbonugan Ajose-Harrison; Lai Ajayi Bembe, among others.

Addressing the press, president of Eko Foundation, Prof. Smith said Soyinka’s appointment as the chairman of the committee for the celebration of Lagos state at 50 was a wrong choice and unacceptable.

Smith said successive governments in the state had retained the penchant of marginalizing those he called, “true indigenes” for the past 18 years, saying they would henceforth resist government decisions to give sensitive appointments to non-indigenes of the state.

“There are very many elders, octogenarians, septuagenarians, former governor, ministers, academic, public and civil servants and other indigenes both at home and in the Diaspora, that are more than eminently qualified to celebrate their state. Professor Wole Soyinka’s choice is an insult to the indigenes and he should decline to serve, to accord with his reputation as a protester, who has tirelessly protested wrongs and injustice in the better part of his adult life,” he said.

According to him, the choice of Alhaji Rasheed Gbadamosi, an indigene to co-chair the committee with Professor Soyinka was a deception and mischievous make-believe.

“We have decided to cry out, to enable us partake as our right and in accordance with extant laws, in the government of the state. We can no longer afford to keep silent and pretend that all is well when in fact there appears to be no future for the indigenes of this state and the generations yet unborn in the state.

“At the moment, we have six Ibos occupying seats in Lagos, in the Federal House of Representatives, non-indigene as a senator, several non-indigenes in Lagos State House of Assembly and in the executive council of the state. In the past, indigenes of other states have taken over our ministerial slot and occupy positions in various parastatals both in the state and at federal level. These are not replicated in any other state in Nigeria,” he added.

Smith said the implication of the abnormality was that Lagos indigenes would have to passionately appeal to the non-indigenes to secure employment for themselves and their children in their own land, adding that, indigenes would henceforth closely monitor and periscope the activities of the present administration in the state, warning that appointments in the state must conform with Federal Character Commission Act, the constitution of the country and other subsidiary legislation.

As at the time of filing this report, Lagos Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde has not responded to a call and text message sent to him.

It would be recalled that Ambode recently stated that “Let me assure Lagosians that the state is home to every tribe and ethnic group and nobody should give this disturbance of any ethnic coloration whatsoever. We are all brothers in Lagos and it shall continue to be like that.”

Kidnappers of 3 Lagos School Girls ARRESTED, Victims RESCUED

The 3 female students of the Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary (BMJS), Agunfoye-Lugbusi, Ikorodu, Lagos State, who were abducted last Monday in their hostels have been rescued by the Lagos State Police Command, the suspected kidnappers arrested, according to Lagos State Government .

The girls were reportedly rescued without payment of any ransom according to Steve Ayorinde, Lagos State Commission for Information and Strategy

No ransom was paid. Three of the arrested suspected kidnappers will be paraded shortly as Governor Ambode and CP address the media shortly

— Steve Ayorinde (@stevoree) March 6, 2016

According report, a member of the gang who took part in the abduction was said to have been arrested by operatives of the Inspector General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team, IRT, lead by CSP Abba Kyari, when he left the gang’s camp in Adamama Forest in Arepo, Ogun State, off Ikorodu.

Sources disclosed that the school girls who are currently with the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, were rescued following intense pressure mounted on the gang following the arrest of their colleague by a combine team of the IRT operatives and their counterpart at the Lagos State Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Ikeja.

It was gathered that the police and the kidnappers reached a compromise which does not involve money before the school girls were rescued.

Steve Ayorinde also confirmed that 3 of the suspected kidnappers have been arrested. See Tweet:

No ransom was paid. Three of the arrested suspected kidnappers will be paraded shortly as Governor Ambode and CP address the media shortly

— Steve Ayorinde (@stevoree) March 6, 2016

Recall that the that the gunmen, suspected to be dislodged pipeline vandals stormed the school premises located at Agunfoye-Lugbusi village at about 8pm on Monday, February 29 and took three girls away. The armed men reportedly gained entry from behind the school, by breaking the perimeter fence which served as protection for the boarders.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has commended the police for rescuing the girls, describing the police as courageous. The state’s Commissioner for Information & Strategy, in a tweet on Sunday, via his Twitter handle, @stevoree said:

The three abducted school girls in Ikorodu have been rescued by the Police. Lagos is working. Gov Ambode salutes the courage of the Police

— Steve Ayorinde (@stevoree) March 6, 2016

@AkinwunmiAmbode salutes Police for rescuing Barbington school girlshttps://t.co/jbDI0vPMvh @stevoree @followlasg pic.twitter.com/1atpYHST4Q

— Vanguard Newspapers (@vanguardngrnews) March 6, 2016