KAI officials to impound motorcycles plying or parked on road verges.

The Marshal-General of Kick Against Indiscipline Brigade, Captain Danjuma Maigeri has warned that commercial motorcyclists plying road verges in Lagos would henceforth be arrested and prosecuted.

Maigeri said those who continued to flout traffic laws would have their motorcycles impounded while fines would be paid to retrieve such motorcycles.

Maigeri advised commercial motorcycle operators, popularly known as okada riders to obey the laws of the state and stop causing environmental nuisance in the course of their operation.

He said the governor, through the Commissioner for Environment, had given KAI the mandate to deal with any motorcyclist contravening the state environmental laws.

According to him, the laws do not permit anybody to convert road verges into okada parks or cover the drainage system in order to convert them to parks.

Maigeri reminded the riders that the setbacks, along the major roads in the state, were reserved for ongoing beautification project.

He warned street traders not to display their wares on the roads, walkways and setbacks earmarked for beautification.

The KAI also warned that such traders would be arrested and their wares impounded.

SALESMEN ARRAIGNED IN COURT.

Three computer salesmen and two others have been arraigned at an Ebute Metta Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, for allegedly stealing and receiving forty-eight laptops valued at three point seven million naira.

The salesmen Olubayo Okunlola,Kingsley Ekwueme, Kingsley Ekejiuba,are charged with Collins Ogbuji and Hillary Achebe.

Prosecutor,Inspector Eshiet Eshiet, told the court that Okunlola, Ekwueme and Ekejiuba were sales representatives to a computer company, Westgate Technologies Limited, Ikeja, Lagos.

Eshiet said the salesmen conspired to steal various brands of laptops at different occasions from the company’s warehouse.

He said Ogbuji and Achebe received the stolen items from the sales representatives, knowing that the laptops were stolen.

Prosecutor told Chief Magistrate Oyindamola Ogala that the incident took place between January and June this year at the Computer Village, Ikeja.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge.

Ogala granted the salesmen bail in the sum of five hundred thousand naira with two sureties in like sum each and the others two hundred and fifty thousand naira with two sureties in like sum each.

She adjourned the case till July nineteen for further hearing.

Three computer salesmen and two others have been arraigned at an Ebute Metta Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, for allegedly stealing and receiving forty-eight laptops valued at three point seven million naira.

The salesmen Olubayo Okunlola,Kingsley Ekwueme, Kingsley Ekejiuba,are charged with Collins Ogbuji and Hillary Achebe.

Prosecutor,Inspector Eshiet Eshiet, told the court that Okunlola, Ekwueme and Ekejiuba were sales representatives to a computer company, Westgate Technologies Limited, Ikeja, Lagos.

Eshiet said the salesmen conspired to steal various brands of laptops at different occasions from the company’s warehouse.

He said Ogbuji and Achebe received the stolen items from the sales representatives, knowing that the laptops were stolen.

Prosecutor told Chief Magistrate Oyindamola Ogala that the incident took place between January and June this year at the Computer Village, Ikeja.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge.

Ogala granted the salesmen bail in the sum of five hundred thousand naira with two sureties in like sum each and the others two hundred and fifty thousand naira with two sureties in like sum each.

She adjourned the case till July nineteen for further hearing.

House keeper faces theft charge.

A twenty-two-year-old housekeeper, John Sonon, has been charged before an Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court in Lagos for allegedly stealing property valued at six point seven million naira.

Charged with a three-count offence of conspiracy, burglary and stealing, the accused pleaded not guilty.

But the Prosecutor,Inspector Nicholas Atunmoye told the court that the accused stole a Nigerian International Passport with multiple visas, wrist watches and jewelries valued at six point seven million naira.

He alleged that the accused broke into the room of his master,Gary Ogbeide to steal the items.

The accused, Atunmoye said, committed the offence with others still at large sometimes in May at Kosofe Street, Dolphine Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Magistrate,Folashade Kayode admitted the accused to bail in the sum of five hundred thousand naira with two sureties and adjourned the case to July twenty-eight for further hearing.

Surety arraigned for failing to produce accused person.

For failing to produce an accused person in court, a thirty-year old businessman, Idris Haruna, has been charged before an Igbosere Chief Magistrate’s Court.

The surety-turned accused is facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and failing to produce one Fasal Haruna, a person he stood surety for.

Prosecutor,Sergent Austin Adams, arraigned Idris for the offence originally committed by Fasal.
He said Fasal, Idris’s brother, obtained the goods under false pretence.

Adams said the accused stood surety for the first accused with the intention to make him escape justice.

He said the offence contravened the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail in the sum of fifty thousand naira with two sureties in like sum.

Magistrate,Makanju Oshodi, adjourned the case to August nine for further hearing.

Court seals eight apartments for failure to pay refuse disposal fee.

A Grade 'A' Customary Court, Shomolu, Lagos,has sealed eight apartments at Abiodun Street, Shomolu for the refusal of the occupants to pay refuse disposal rates.

The apartments were sealed following the failure of the occupants to pay to the Private Sector Participants the thirteen thousand naira they promised to settle by June fourteen.

The Lagos State Government engaged Private Sector Participants to complement the efforts of the State Waste Management Agency in refuse collection and disposal.

Gilbert Imesco,one of the occupants, who was brought to court on bench warrant, pleaded with the court to compel his co-tenants to pay up their Private Sector Participants rates.

A sanitation officer with the Shomolu Local Government,Francisca Sofoluke, had told the court that the occupants owed six months rate totaling thirteen thousand naira to the Private Sector Participants for its services.

She said the offence was contrary to Section of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Law of nineteen ninety-four.

In her judgment the Court President,Modupe Bajulaiye said only six of the nine tenants who pledged to pay the debt of thirteen thousand naira contributed eight thousand eight hundred naira, saying the building was still owing four thousand two hundred naira.

She adjourned the case till friday to enable the remaining tenants to appear in court.

Court acquits salesman over theft.

A twenty-one-year-old salesman, who has been in prison custody for failing to meet his bail conditions, has been discharged and acquitted by an Apapa Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos.

The accused, Noah Oladunjoye, who was arraigned on June sixteen, however, pleaded not guilty to the one-count charge of allegedly stealing fifty-two thousand one hundred naira cash, property of his employer,Adekunle Adelojo, a soft drink dealer.

Chief Magistrate,Oluyemi Adelaja, had ordered the police to produce the accused in court since he was unable to meet the bail conditions because he did not have a lawyer.

At the resumed hearing of the case, Adelaja struck out the case for lack of diligent prosecution, noting that both the complainant and the witness had not appear in court since the accused was arraigned.

Prosecutor,Corporal Joseph Umeh, had earlier told the court that the accused stole Adelojo’s money.

In an interview with security alert with jide after he regained his freedom, Oladunjoye said the money was stolen from him by a pick-pocket.

Court dissolves blind man's eight-year-old marriage.

The Shomolu Grade A Customary Court, Lagos,has dissolved the eight-year-old marriage between Matthew Olaiya, a blind and his wife, Olufunmilayo.

Dissolving the marriage, the court president, Modupe Bajulaiye, said that efforts at reconciling the couple since the case commenced on April ten had proved abortive.

The petitioner, Olaiya, who has a doctorate in law, told the court that Olufunmilayo was maltreating him and had not been caring for him.

Olaiya told the court to dissolve the marriage because he was no longer interested in the relationship.

The respondent, Olufunmilayo pleaded with the court to save the marriage, saying though her husband had ruined her, she still needed him to take care of their seven-year-old daughther.

The court president granted the couple free divorce and ordered them to maintain the peace.

Bajulaiye ordered the petitioner to pay five thousand naira monthly as upkeep allowance for their daughter.

He also directed him to be responsible for her education, medical expenses and should have free access to her.

Two unemployed men arraigned for motorcycle theft.

Two unemployed men have been arraigned at a Lagos Chief Magistrates Court on a two-count charge of felony and stealing.

Prosecutor, Sergent Joseph Ameh said the accused persons, Joe Chidi and Freedom Mfon had on June twenty-four conspired to commit the alleged crime.

Ameh said the motorcycle, was forcefully taken from its owner,Alfred Egwu, after hitting his head with a dangerous weapon.

The accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty.

The Chief Magistrate,Oluyemisi Adelaja, granted them bail in the sum of fifty thousand naira each, with two sureties in like sum.

She directed that the sureties should show evidence of tax payment,saying one of them must be resident within the court’s jurisdiction.

The case was adjourned to July twenty-six for further hearing.

Court frees two suspected kola nut thieves.

An Apapa Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos has struck out a three-count charge of house breaking and theft of bags of kola nuts preferred against two suspects.

The prosecution had told the court that the accused Ibrahim Sani and Ismaila Idi conspired and stole the kola nuts worth two hundred and twenty-one thousand naira.

Sergent Benedict Unawunwa alleged that the men had on April five broke into five shops at Suru Alaba Market, Lagos, and carted away the kola nuts.

He urged the court to adjourn the case to enable him to assemble more evidence against the duo.

Counsel to the accused, Obadia Abiye, asked the court to strike out the case following the prosecutor’s inability to produce the complainants and witnesses.

The accused had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charge and were granted bail.

While discharging them, the Chief Magistrate, Oluyemisi Adelaja, said the prosecution had not demonstrated enough seriousness to produce the complainants and witnesses, as earlier promised.

She rejected the prosecutor’s application for another adjournment, saying it will amount to delaying justice.

Police AIG commends LASG support for effective policing

The Lagos State Government has been commended for setting up the Security Trust Fund.
This is because the fund had empowered the police to be more efficient.

Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone two, Azubuko Udah said the government had made the security and safety of residents its top priority.

Udah said the Lagos government shared the view of Maslow, the renowned sociologist, that security is man’s first basic need.

He also commended the Ogun government for providing ten patrol vehicles to support the police command in the state.

Commenting on the heavy traffic on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the AIG said the various religious organisations along the road, had promised to assist in decongesting it.

Udah commended the policemen in the zone for their dedication to duty, saying welfare and logistic issues were the main challenges confronting the zone.

He appealed to Lagos and Ogun governments, corporate organisations and individuals to provide operational vehicles and other equipment for the police, to enable them to fight crime.

The Police Boss commended the Federal Government for also providing fifty-nine marine boats, equipped with ammunition, to the police.

Police announce new date for recruitment examination.

The Nigeria Police said on Monday in Abuja that the recruitment examination for prospective applicants into the Force would now hold on July ten.

Force Public Relations Officer,Emmanuel Ojukwu said the screening exercise had also been extended to July nine as against July third earlier announced.

Ojukwu said the change in date was due to the large turn out of prospective applicants.

He said it will also allow for proper and thorough screening of applicants who have applied.

The Nigeria Police had on June fourteen invited applications for recruitment.

Al-Mustapha: Court summons AIG to appear before it on July one.

A Lagos High Court has summoned Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Felix Ogbaudu, to appear before it on July one to conclude his evidence.

Justice Muftau Olokooba directed that the summons should be sent through the office of the Inspector-General of Police by the court’s bailiff for onward delivery to Ogbaudu.

Security Alert with Jide reports that Ogbaudu is the ninth prosecution witness in the case against Major Hamza Al-Mustapha and three others.

Al-Mustapha, the Chief Security Officer to late General Sani Abacha, is standing trial for alleged attempted murder of the publisher of the Guardian newspapers, Alex Ibru.

Al-Mustapha is being tried along with James Danbaba, a former Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Jubrin Yakubu, a former Military Administrator of Zamfara and Chief Superintendent of Police Rabo Lawal.

They were also charged with attempted murder of a former Director of Sports in Delta,Isaac Porbeni.

Prosecution Counsel,Ladipo Oshowala, had earlier informed the court that his witness was not present because of some official assignments and would not be present on July one.

Oshowala told the court that the adjourned dates were picked in the absence of the witness but he had promised to be present on July twelve and thirteen.

Counsel to the defendants, Messrs Olalekan Ojo, Chukudi Nnmakwe and Chima Ikegbule for Al-Mustapha, Lawal, Danbaba and Yakubu opposed the application for an adjournment.

They contended that a warrant of arrest should be issued on the ninth prosecution witness because it was not the first time the case had suffered a setback because of his absence.

They further contended that the witness was present in court on April twenty when the case was adjourned to May twenty-five but failed to turn up and so his evidence should be closed.

Justice Olokooba, however, held that a warrant could not be issued because he was not present in court when the adjourned date was fixed,saying the law is settled on that.

He ruled that the position of the law is that a summon should be served on the witness.

Court slams five hundred thousand naira bail on fake clearing agent.

A man, who allegedly impersonated a clearing agent, has granted bail by an Apapa Senior Magistrate’s Court, Lagos.

The accused, Nurudeen Mudasiru is facing trial on a two-count charge of stealing and receiving money under false pretext.

Senior Magistrate,Ariyike Ipaye-Nwachukwu granted the accused bail in the sum of five hundred thousand naira with two sureties after he had pleaded not guilty.

Counsel to the accused,Sammy Ekatah, had urged the court to grant the accused bail, promising that he would not jump bail.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Sergent Uche Kalu, told the court that the accused had sometime in March at Ajegunle, a Lagos suburb, obtained six hundred and sixty thousand naira from Charity Ogbotiti.

He said the accused obtained the money with a promise to help her to clear a Passat saloon car at the Tin Can Port, Lagos, but converted the money to his personal use.

The case has been adjourned till August thirtieth.

Sex worker arraigned for allegedly slashing colleague’s breast with razor.

The Police has arraigned a twenty-six-year-old commercial sex worker, Chetachi Nwokedi, before an Apapa Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, for allegedly slashing a colleague’s left breast with a razor.

Nwokedi is standing trial on a one-count charge of assault before Chief Magistrate,Oluyemisi Adelaja.

Prosecutor, Corporal Joseph Ameh, alleged that Nwokedi on June twenty-five in Badiya used a blade to inflict deep cuts on the neck and left breast of Endurance Aghalokpe, resulting in bodily harm and subsequent admission in a hospital.

Nwokedi, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Her Counsel, Nnadi Uche, pleaded with the court to grant her bail on liberal terms.

In her ruling, Adelaja granted the accused bail in the sum of one hundred thousand naira with two sureties in like sum.

She said the sureties must show evidence of gainful employment in reputable organisations.

Security Alert with Jide gathered that the complainant had accused Nwokedi of snatching her male customer, an allegation that infuriated the latter.

Nwokedi allegedly dashed to her room and brought out a razor blade with which she attacked Aghalokpe.

Sex worker arraigned for allegedly slashing colleague’s breast with razor.

The Police has arraigned a twenty-six-year-old commercial sex worker, Chetachi Nwokedi, before an Apapa Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, for allegedly slashing a colleague’s left breast with a razor.

Nwokedi is standing trial on a one-count charge of assault before Chief Magistrate,Oluyemisi Adelaja.

Prosecutor, Corporal Joseph Ameh, alleged that Nwokedi on June twenty-five in Badiya used a blade to inflict deep cuts on the neck and left breast of Endurance Aghalokpe, resulting in bodily harm and subsequent admission in a hospital.

Nwokedi, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Her Counsel, Nnadi Uche, pleaded with the court to grant her bail on liberal terms.

In her ruling, Adelaja granted the accused bail in the sum of one hundred thousand naira with two sureties in like sum.

She said the sureties must show evidence of gainful employment in reputable organisations.

Security Alert with Jide gathered that the complainant had accused Nwokedi of snatching her male customer, an allegation that infuriated the latter.

Nwokedi allegedly dashed to her room and brought out a razor blade with which she attacked Aghalokpe.

Two sales boys charged with thirty million naira theft.

The police in Lagos has arraigned two sales boys, Tochukwu Oluka and Ekene Okonkwo for stealing goods worth thirty million naira million from their master’s shop.

The accused persons were charged with conspiracy, stealing and threat to life before an Igbosere Chief Magistrate’s Court on Lagos Island.

They, however, pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutor, Superintendent of Police Raymond Odion, said the accused persons committed the alleged offences with some others still at large in January at Idoluwo Street on Lagos Island.

Odion submitted that the accused also threatened the life of their master, Ifeanyi Mbanusi, with the intent to intimidate him.

Magistrate O. I. Akinkugbe granted the accused persons bail in the sum of one million naira with two sureties each.

Akinkugbe adjourned the case till July fifteen for substantive trial.

Court discharges woman accused of operating illegal clinic.

An Apapa Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos has discharged a thirty-two-year-old woman, who had been standing trial since last year, for allegedly converting a one-room apartment into a clinic.
Chief Magistrate Oluyemisi Adelaja discharged Leticia Odunze for lack of diligent prosecution, but did not acquit her of the charge.

Adelaja ruled that the case had suffered seven unnecessary adjournments at the instance of the prosecution which had not been able to produce any witness.

She,therefore,struck out the case.

Odunze, a resident of Rorobi Street, Olodi, Apapa, was charged to court in Novomber last year for falsely claiming to be a nurse and administering drugs to people from the one-room apartment.
She, however, pleaded not guilty on arraignment and was subsequently granted bail.

Prosecutor,Sergent Benedict Unawunwa had submitted that the alleged offence contravened Sections of the Criminal Code of Lagos State.

In another development, a man who claimed to be a clearing agent has appeared before an Apapa Senior Magistrate’s Court in Lagos over alleged fraud and theft of two hundred and twenty thousand naira.

Mudasiru Nurudeen allegedly duped Olotu Jimoh and Henry Azubuike in the guise of helping them to clear their vehicles from the Tin Can Port, Apapa.

Nurudeen, however, pleaded not guilty and was granted bail by Senior Magistrate Ariyike Ipaye-Nwachukwu in the sum of two hundred thousand naira and two sureties in like sum.

Prosecutor, Sergent Uche Kalu, submitted that the accused committed the alleged offences in March at Adekeye Street Apapa.

Kalu said Nurudeen defrauded one hundred and eighty thousand naira from Jimoh while pretending to clear an Opel Kadet car for him and also duped forty thousand naira from Azubuike in the guise of clearing a Ford Mondeo.

He said the alleged offences were punishable under Sections of the Criminal Code of Lagos State.

The case has been adjourned till August thirty-one.

Landlady bags ten thousand naira fine for poor environmental sanitation.

A Grade A Customary Court in Mushin, Lagos,has fined a landlady ten thousand naira after she pleaded guilty that her house was in a poor sanitary state.

Court President, Abayomi Ipaye said as a result of the poor sanitary state of the building, the landlady, Dorcas Okeowo, endangered her tenants’ lives.

The Mushin Local Government Council had accused Okeowo, whose building is located at Odunsi Street Mushin, of failing to repair her dilapidated bungalow.

Council’s sanitation officer,Raji Razak, said the landlady did not repair the houses’s cracked fence and she passed a waste pipe through one of the rooms.

The Eighty-five year-old landlady, who was represented by her son, Adeyinka, apologised for the poor state of the house.

Court president adjourned the case till June twent-nine to enable the affected tenant to appear in court.

Trailer driver arraigned for killing three in Lagos.

The Police in Lagos has arraigned a thirty-seven-year-old tanker driver, Ayuba Musa for allegedly killing three people through dangerous driving.

Musa, who is facing a two-count charge of manslaughter and dangerous driving at a Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court, however, pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutor, Sergent Chinalu Uwadione, however, insisted that the accused had a case to answer.

He alleged that the accused drove a tanker recklessly and killed three occupants of a car on March thirty on the Oworonshoki Bridge, Lagos.

Chief Magistrate, A.A. Demi-Ajayi granted him bail in the sum of five hundred thousand naira with two sureties and adjourned till July seven for further hearing.

Fraudster to spend eighteen months in prison.

For defrauding a freight forwarder of two point six million naira, Chiakozie Abengowe is to spend the next eighteen months in prison.

A Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court , Lagos, which handed down the jail term to Abengowe, however, discharged and acquitted his brother Ugochukwu an alleged accomplice.

The duo pleaded not guilty when they were first arraigned in twenty zero seven on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

They were alleged to have stolen the money from one Kingsley Anosike, a freight forwarder.

Chief Magistrate, Oluyemisi Adelaja, in her judgment, jailed Chiakozie without an option of fine.

She held that the prosecution had successfully proved that the convict was guilty of the charges while Ugochukwu was innocent.

Prosecutor, Sergent Chinalu Uwadione, had told the court that Abengowe collected the money from Anosike under the pretext of supplying him diesel.

Uwadione said the diesel was meant for Marlon Construction Company, Apapa, Lagos, but the convict neither supplied the product nor returned the money.

Two telecom experts docked for allegedly defrauding businessman.

Two men who claimed to be telecommunications experts, have been docked at a Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos for allegedly defrauding a prospective businessman of thirteen point seven million naira.

The accused, Igho Mrakpor and Odukoya Olayinka are facing a seven-count charge of conspiracy, stealing, fraud, forgery and issuing of dud cheques, before Chief Magistrate, A. A. Demi-Ajayi.

Prosecutor, Sergent Chinalu Uwadione, told the court that the accused collected by installment, the money under the pretext of providing one Odufuye Bamidele with internet facilities.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge and were each granted bail in the sum of five hundred thousand naira with two sureties each in like sum.

Demi-Ajayi adjourned the case till June thirty for further hearing.

GOC orders soldiers to wear safety helmets.

General Officer Commanding Eighty-one Division, Nigerian Army, Major- General Eugene Nwanguma has called on soldiers, who ride motorcycles, to always wear safety helmets to reduce accidents.

Nwanguma decried the high rate of soldiers who die as a result of their non-adherence to traffic rules.

He spoke at an awareness campaign on road traffic regulations and hazards, saying traffic laws were made for both military personnel and civilians.

According to him, the campaign was necessary to reduce the number of deaths recorded through motorcycle accidents.

The General Officer Commanding who spoke through his Chief of Staff, Brigadier- General Emmanuel Abejirin,appealed to soldiers to assist other law enforcement agents by obeying traffic rules.

Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant- General Abdulrahman Dambazau, has ordered that any soldier found without a helmet or moving at wrong times be arrested.

Guest lecturer, Assistant Corps Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Olusegun Ogungbemide in his speech stressed that no soldier should ride a motorcycle without the use of a crash helmet.

He said the death of a soldier was a loss to the entire nation that took the pains to train him, saying any soldier arrested would be handed over to his unit.

Also speaking, the Commanding Officer, sixty-five Battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel Abdulmalik Bulama, enjoined the soldiers to always ride only when psychologically balanced, to reduce accidents.

More than one hundred soldiers and civilians matched round the Bonny Cantonment, venue of the sensitisation programme, carrying placards with inscriptions such as No to traffic accidents and No to over speeding.''

The campaign, organised by the sixty-five Battalion, had in attendance representatives of the navy, police, army, as well as okada riders and civilians.

Seme border customs seizes millions contraband.

The Seme Border Command of Nigeria Customs Service has announced the seizure of four point four million naira worth of contraband.

The seizure is said to be achieved following the command’s renewed anti-smuggling campaign.

Some of the items seized include scrap metals, two trailer loads of oil pipes and a gas tanker containing carbon dioxide.

Its Comptroller,Bawa Mohammed said the importers of the oil pipes claimed that they brought them into Nigeria to find buyers.

Man docked for alleged attempted kidnap.

The police has arraigned a thirty-six-year-old man, Omotayo Johnson, before an Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, for alleged attempt to kidnap.

The accused, who claimed to be a businessman, is facing a three-count charge of conspiracy and attempted kidnap before Magistrate Folashade Kayode.

Prosecutor, Inspector Nicholas Atumonye, told the court that the accused in April at Ikoyi, Lagos, conspired with two persons to kidnap one Oluwatobi Osibodu, his business partner.

Atumonye alleged that Johnson gave Tommy Ebikeme and Edward Aniegboro one hundred thousand naira each to commit the crime.

Johnson pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of three hundred thousand naira with two sureties in like sum.

Kayode adjourned the case till July fourteen for further hearing.

Fake Bureau de Change operator arraigned for more than four thousand United States dollars theft.

An operator at a bureau de change, Toyin Ajayi has arraigned at a Lagos Chief Magistrate's court for allegedly stealing four thousand nine hundred and fifty dollars about seven hundred and fifty thousand naira.

Ajayi, was also accused of being in possession of three thousand six hundred fake dollars in one hundred dollar denomination.

The accused was charged before an Igbosere Chief Magistrate Court, Sura Street, Lagos Island on five-count of conspiracy, forgery, being in possession of fake foreign currencies and stealing.

Prosecutor, Sergent Peter Nwangwu said the accused, with others now at large, on May twenty-six along Custom Street, Lagos Island, conspired to commit the offence.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

Magistrate, Folake Davies-Abegunde granted the accused bail in the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand naira with two sureties in like sum.

She adjourned the case to July sixteen for further hearing.

Flood wreaks havoc in Lagos.

More than thirty houses have submerged at Community Road, Ijegun, Lagos as a result of a rainfall which lasted more than eleven hours.

The rain which started about six in the morning and lasted till five in the evening rendering several residents homeless.

Houses and cars in Irepodun Street in the area were totally submerged and residents struggled to save their property.

A resident, Sade Balogun whose car was submerged said she came out to drive the car to the church and discovered the car was in the flood.

Also a businessman, Christian Nweji said the flood was caused by blocked drains while Felicia Aroh said she had lost property worth more than three hundred thousand naira to the flood.

Twenty-three-year-old lady arraigned for brother's ten million naira fraud.

The Police in Lagos has arraigned the sister of a man, who allegedly stole ten million naira from a company.

Nkeiru Okonkwo was alleged to have received thirty thousand naira of the stolen money from her elder brother, Onyekachi Okonkwo, who is believed to be at large.

The accused, who is facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and receiving stolen money at an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate’s Court, pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutor, Superintendent Police, Innocent Effiong told the court that the accused was arrested when the Police invaded Onyeakachi’s house to apprehend him.

Chief Magistrate, Philip Ojo granted the accused bail in the sum of five hundred thousand naira with two sureties.

He said the sureties should produce evidence of tax payment for three years.

The accused, on conviction, may be sentenced to seven years imprisonment.

The case has been adjourned till July eight for further hearing.

Suspected ATM fraudster arraigned in Lagos.

The clampdown on Automated Teller Machine fraudsters by the police has paid off as a twenty-year-old suspect has been charged before a Surulere Chief Magistrate’s Court.

Sunday Peter, who is standing trial on a two-count charge of stealing and felony, has, however, pleaded not guilty.

The prosecution said the accused stole an Oceanic Bank ATM card and twenty-seven thousand naira cash from Esomojumi Oluwole on Ojuelegba Road, Surulere, Lagos.

Inspector Olaide Sunday told the court that the accused, who committed the offence on June four was arrested while trying to use the card to withdraw money from Oluwole’s account.

Chief Magistrate,Abiola Soladoye, granted the accused bail in the sum of twenty-seven thousand naira with two sureties and adjourned the case till July seven for further hearing.

Ladoja’s money laundering case adjourned indefinetely.

The Federal High Court, Lagos has adjourned indefinitely further hearing in the money laundering case against former Governor Rasheed Ladoja of Oyo State, pending the determination of his appeal.

In his ruling on an application by Ladoja to stay further proceedings, Justice Mohammed Idris said it was necessary to adjourn the case indefinitely.

Idris said as a sign of respect for the Justices of the Court of Appeal and as a matter of law, he would adjourn the case pending the decision of the appellate court.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had on March last year re-arraigned Ladoja and Waheed Akanbi, a former Oyo State Commissioner for Finance and Budget, on an eight-count charge.

They were accused of laundering about six point five billion naira of the state’s funds while in office.

The commission alleged that the accused laundered the funds sometime in twenty zero seven through the account of a firm, Heritage Apartments Limited, in Guaranty Trust Bank.

The Commission also alleged that Ladoja used about forty-two million naira to purchase an armoured Land Cruiser Jeep and sent about seventy point eight million naira to one Bimpe Ladoja in London.

The accused persons had pleaded not guilty to the crime.

Ladoja had, through his Counsel, Bolaji Onilenla, urged the court to stay further proceedings in the matter pending the determination of his appeal challenging its ruling that refused to quash the charge against him.

Counsel to the Commission, Festus Afeiyodion, however, urged the court not to stay further proceedings on the grounds that mere filing of an appeal did not amount to a stay of further proceedings.

Court gives landlady ultimatum to renovate house.

A Mushin Grade A Customary Court in Lagos has given a landlady a three-month ultimatum to repair her building or face sanctions.

The court has threatened to seal off the storey building located at Kajola Street Mushin, over its poor sanitary condition.

President of the court, Abayomi Ipaye, warned the landlady, Abibat Ayilara, to comply with the state’s environmental sanitation laws on or before September seventeen, or face the music.

The Mushin Local Government had filed a suit against the landlady on May twenty, asking the court to compel her to repair the house which it said constituted environmental nuisance.

According to the council’s Sanitation Officer, Raji Razak, the facilities in the house, including the sewage, were in deplorable condition.

The landlady, however, pleaded guilty to the offence of constituting environmental nuisance and urged the court to grant her more time to eject the tenants before carrying out the repairs.

The caretaker of the house,Adeola Abiodun, told the court that he had wanted to repair the house since twenty zero seven, but that the tenants refused to move out.

Businessman docked for failing to produce accused.

For failing to produce a retired naval officer, for whom he stood as a surety, a forty-two-year-old businessman, Babatunde Babs, was on Friday arraigned in Lagos.

Babs is standing trial at an Igbosere Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, on a one-count charge of failure to produce one Navy Captain Rotimi Taiwo Retired.

Prosecutor, Sergent Cosmos Adams, told the court that the accused on June two, at Langbasa Police Station, Lagos, entered into a bail bond of one million naira on behalf of the retired naval chief.

According to the prosecutor, the absconded navy captain has a case to answer, bordering on conduct likely to cause a breach of peace and obtaining money under false pretence from one Ashan Anjorin.

He said that Babs entered into the bond to always ensure the presence of the Taiwo in court until the case against him was disposed off.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Magistrate,Makanju Oshodi, granted the accused bail in the sum of fifty thousand naira with two sureties in like sum.

She adjourned the case till July thirteen for further hearing.

Businessman docked for failing to produce accused.

For failing to produce a retired naval officer, for whom he stood as a surety, a forty-two-year-old businessman, Babatunde Babs, was on Friday arraigned in Lagos.

Babs is standing trial at an Igbosere Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, on a one-count charge of failure to produce one Navy Captain Rotimi Taiwo Retired.

Prosecutor, Sergent Cosmos Adams, told the court that the accused on June two, at Langbasa Police Station, Lagos, entered into a bail bond of one million naira on behalf of the retired naval chief.

According to the prosecutor, the absconded navy captain has a case to answer, bordering on conduct likely to cause a breach of peace and obtaining money under false pretence from one Ashan Anjorin.

He said that Babs entered into the bond to always ensure the presence of the Taiwo in court until the case against him was disposed off.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Magistrate,Makanju Oshodi, granted the accused bail in the sum of fifty thousand naira with two sureties in like sum.

She adjourned the case till July thirteen for further hearing.

Police arrest robbery suspect.

The police in Lagos has arrested a twenty-seven-year-old robbery suspect, who along with his gang members, attempted to rob a woman of her Toyota car.

The suspect, also believed to be a cultist, was paraded before newsmen in Ikeja, with bullet-ridden legs.

Police Public Relations Officer,Frank Mba said the suspect and others at large, using two motorcycles attempted to rob a woman of her car at the Leventis Bus-stop on Bank Anthony Way, Maryland, Lagos.

Mba said as soon as the suspects sighted a police patrol team, they attempted to escape while one of them opened fire on the police but the police responded and one of the suspects was badly injured on his legs, while the others escaped.

The police spokesman said the items recovered from the suspect included one motorcycle with one locally made shot gun and twelve live cartridges.

According to him, the case would be transferred to the State CID, Panti, Yaba, for further investigation that could lead to the arrest of the fleeing gang members.

He advised members of the public, intending to cash money at banks, to be discreet.

Maid arraigned for jewelry theft, gets bail.

The police in Lagos has arraigned a twenty-five-year-old housemaid, Mary Peter, for allegedly stealing her employer’s jewelry, worth four hundred and fifty thousand naira.

Mary is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing before Chief Magistrate O. J.

Awope of the Igbosere Chief Magistrate’s Court.

Prosecutor, Inspector Augustine Onwuemene, said the accused on March twenty-one, at Sam Udoka Villa Estate, Ajah, Lagos, conspired with others now at large to commit the offence.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge and was admitted to bail in the sum of one hundred thousand naira with two sureties in like sum.

Awope adjourned the case till July seven for further hearing.

NDLEA discovers cocaine in sandals, arrests four suspects.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a man, who allegedly concealed a powdery substance suspected to be cocaine, in his pair of sandals.

The suspect, who is based in Spain, was caught with one kilogramme of the suspected hard drug at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja.

The substance which was concealed in his sandals was detected during a routine check on an Iberia flight at the airport

The Agency also arrested three other suspects, who ingested some hard drugs.

Its Head of Public Affairs,Mitchell Ofoyeju, said the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations were completed.

Meanwhile, the Chairman,Ahmadu Giade has commended the officials for the arrests, reiterating the agency’s zero tolerance for drug trafficking.

Infidelity threatens year old marriage.

A sixty-six-year-old businessman has in Lagos pleaded with the Mushin Customary Court to dissolve his one-year-old marriage, alleging infidelity by his wife.

The petitioner, Dauda Mustapha told the court that his wife, Selimot, was an unfaithful partner.
She has multiple partners outside her matrimonial home, she is not faithful to me.

Mustapha said he married Selimot following the death of his wife, who did not have any child for him.

The estranged wife, Selimot thirty-four year old, a foodstuff seller, agreed that the court should dissolve the marriage in that there was no love between them anymore.

She, however, asked the court to compel her husband to pay the three hundred and sixty thousand naira he borrowed from her before the dissolution of the marriage.

President of the court, Abayomi Ipaye, said the court had no choice than to sever the relationship since the couple had consented to its dissolution.

Ipaye, however, adjourned the case till June thirty to enable the couple to settle the issue of debt.

Woman secures divorce due to neglect by man.

A Grade A Customary Court in Mushin, Lagos, has dissolved a seven-year-old marriage over neglect of the family by the husband.

Court President, Abayomi Ipaye, said efforts of the court to save the marriage failed as the petitioner,Bilikis Kushinmo, insisted on divorce.

Ipaye also noted that the respondent, Lukman Kushinmo, only appeared before the court once, in spite of several summons.

He held that the parties were free to co-habit with any partner of their choice.

The court president ordered Lukman to pay Bilikis two thousand naira monthly for the upkeep of the only child of the marriage, pending the decision of a family court on the child’s custody.

Bilikis had, in the suit she filed on February told the court that Lukman had not been taking care of her and their three-year-old child.

She said Lukman usually beat her each time she complained about his returning home late.

At the only time he appeared before the court, Lukman urged the court to reconcile him with Bilikis, saying he still loved her.

Lagos police charge man with loitering.

The police in Lagos has arraigned a twenty-nine-year-old man, Ogonna Okereke, on a one-count charge of loitering.

Okereke was charged before the Surulere Chief Magistrate’s Court for loitering at Shade Shomefun Street Aguda Lagos.

He, however, pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of fifty thousand naira with two sureties in like sum.

Prosecutor, Inspector Olaide Sunday, submitted that the accused entered the building and was going about without any reason.

He said the movement of Okereke was suspicious and that this made an occupant of the building to raise an alarm and call for his arrest by the police.

Chief Magistrate Abiola Soladoye adjourned further hearing to July two.

Police arraign surety for failure to produce suspect.

The police in Lagos has arraigned a forty-five-year-old woman for allegedly failing to produce a fraud suspect for whom she signed a two hundred thousand naira bail bond.

Benedicta Akpabonwa was brought before a Surulere Chief Magistrate’s Court on a one-count charge of breaching an agreement.

She, however, pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutor, Inspector Olaide Sunday, told the court that Akpabonwa on December last year guaranteed to produce one Fidelia Chidiebere involved in a case of fraud.

He said Akpabonwa pledged to produce the suspect whenever she was needed by the police.

Chief Magistrate Abiola Soladoye granted Akpabonwa bail in the sum of one hundred thousand naira with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till July seven for further hearing.

Woman seeks divorce over husband's drunkenness.

A petty trader in Lagos is praying a Shomolu Grade A Customary Court in the state to dissolve her seventeen-year-old marriage over alleged drunkenness by her husband.

Thirty-eight-year-old Bilikis Adeyemi, a fish seller, alleged that her husband, Kamorudeen Adeyemi, was irresponsible and spent much of his income on alcohol.

Bilikis said Kamorudeen had not been responsible for the upkeep of their three children aged sixteen,thirteen and nine.

She told the court that she packed out of her matrimonial home since September twenty zero eight as a result of her husband’s alleged misconduct.

Responding, Kamorudeen, who claimed to be a herbalist, admitted that he was a drunkard, but promised to stop beating his wife if she could reconcile with him.

He prayed the court to reconcile him with his wife, saying she had been contributing much to the wellbeing of the family.

The respondent’s uncle, Sule Animashaun, testified that Kamorudeen was irresponsible.

He prayed the court to give the families of the couple two months to make peace between them.

Court President, Modupe Bajulaiye, adjourned the case till August eighteen to enable the families to intervene.

Court remands salesman over fifty-two thousand one hundred naira theft.

The police in Lagos has arraigned a twenty-one-year-old salesman for allegedly stealing fifty-two thousand one hundred naira from his employer.

Noah Oladunjoye was arraigned before an Apapa Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly stealing the money from Adekunle Adelojo, a dealer in soft drinks.

Chief Magistrate Oluyemisi Adelaja remanded the accused in prison custody after he pleaded not guilty to the one-count charge and was unable to apply for bail because he did not have a lawyer.

Adelaja ordered the police to produce the accused in the court on June thirty for further hearing.
The Prosecutor, Sergent Benedict Unawunwa, had submitted that the accused committed the alleged offence in February at Navy Road, Ajegunle, Lagos.

Under cross examination by the prosecutor, the accused admitted that he was a salesman to Adelojo, but that the money was removed from his pocket by a thief.

He promised to pay back the money in bits.

Accounting officer arraigned for allegedly defrauding college.

A Senior Accounting Officer with the West African College of Surgeon, Lagos, Oladele Solomon,has been arraigned for allegedly defrauding the college of thirty-nine point nine million naira.

Oladele is standing trial before Chief Magistrate, I. O. Akinkugbe of the Igbosere Chief Magistrate’s Court, Sura Street, in Lagos Island.

Prosecutor, ASP Albert Ebhota said that between April last year and January this year Oladele stole five five million naira and twenty-seven point nine million naira totaling thirty-three point five million naira from the college.

Ebhota told the court that the accused also forged eighteen different First Bank Plc. cheques amounting to five point eight million naira propery of the college.

Oladele pleaded not guilty to the eleven-count charge of intent to defraud, forgery, altering and stealing.

Akinkugbe granted the accused bail in the sum of five hundred thousand naira with two sureties in like sum and adjourned further hearing till July fifteen.

Landlady arraigned for biting tenant's breast.

A landlady, who allegedly bite off part of the breast of her tenant, has been charged before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos.

The sixty-year-old landlady, Elizabeth Adebowale and three others are facing a six-count charge of conspiracy, assault, threat to life and breach of the peace.

The other accused persons are Folake Adebowale, Oluwole Abiola and Segun Abiola.

Prosecutor, Inspector Eshiet Eshiet told the court that the accused persons allegedly engaged Mercy Daniels, a tenant, in a fight for testifying against Adebowale’s son at a police station.

Eshiet said the accused threatened to kill the complainant unless she withdrew the statement.

The accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty and were granted bail each in the sum of twenty thousand naira with two sureties in like sum.

Chief Magistrate, Oyindamola Ogala adjourned the case till July fourteen for further hearing.

Battered wife wants her twenty-year-old marriage dissolved.

A nurse, who claimed to have been constantly battered by her husband in Lagos pleaded with a Somolu Customary Court to dissolve the twenty-year-old marriage.

The thirty-nine-year-old nurse,Oluwatoyin Fayemi, told the court that she wanted to call it quit because of the constant beating she received from her husband, Olawale Fayemi, a taxi driver.

She was forced to pack out of the matrimonial home since twenty zero six over the marital crisis.

The president of the court, Modupe Bajulaiye, adjourned the case till July seven for judgment.

She chided Oluwatoyin for not visiting her children since she packed out of the house five years ago.

Unemployed arraigned for stabbing a twenty-one-year-old lady.

The police in Lagos has arraigned a twenty-one-year-old unemployed man, Chima Ohire, for allegedly stabbing a girl of the same age with a broken bottle.

Ohire, who was charged with assault before a Surulere Magistrate’s Court, pleaded not guilty to the one-count charge.

Prosecutor, Inspector Olaide Sunday, submitted that the accused stabbed his neighbour, Chinwendu Nlembedim, during a misunderstanding on April twenty three.

Magistrate Abiola Soladoye granted bail to the accused in the sum of one hundred thousand naira with two sureties in like sum.

She adjourned the case till July seven for further hearing.

Clearing agent arraigned for duping woman of one point one million naira.

A thirty-seven-year-old man has appeared before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court for allegedly defrauding a businesswoman of one point one million naira in the guise of assisting to clear her goods at the Lagos wharf.

Mudi Muskie, who claimed to be a clearing agent, was charged before Magistrate A. T. Omoyele, but he pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge.

Prosecutor, ASP Samuel Abraham, said the accused duped Ngozi Akabueze, after promising to clear her twenty-feet container, full of personal effects, from the Tin Can Port in Apapa.

He said Muskie collected the sum from his victim to clear the goods but failed to do the job and did not return the money.

The court granted bail to the accused in the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand naira with two sureties in like sum, and adjourned the case till June twenty-nine for further hearing.

Similarly, the police has arraigned a twenty-two- year-old man, Bassey Eteng, before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court over the theft of bundles of cables belonging to the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited.

Prosecutor, Sergent Francis Igbinosun, submitted that Eteng conspired with some others still at large to steal the cables worth one point five million naira on December last year at WEMPCO Road, Ikeja.

He said the accused, who claimed to be unemployed, was apprehended while making efforts to remove the stolen cables.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge of conspiracy and theft before Magistrate A. F. Botokun.

Botokun granted him bail in the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand naira with two sureties in like sum, and adjourned the case till June thirty for further hearing.

Businessman faces house-breaking, theft charges.

A thirty-year-old businessman, Olayinka Odunsi has appeared before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, on a three-count charge of conspiracy, house-breaking and stealing.

Prosecution said the accused allegedly broke into a house at Ajah on Lagos-Epe Expressway and carted away property worth two hundred and thirty-seven thousand naira.

The accused and others, believed to be at large, had on February two broke into the home of Lawrence Ezeaguba, Sergent Augustine Onwuemene told the court.

He listed the property removed to include an international passport, a DSTV decoder, camcorder camera, digital camera, four gold wristwatches and jewelry.

But the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Senior Magistrate,O.J. Awope, granted him bail in the sum two hundred thousand naira with two sureties and adjourned the case till July twelve for further hearing.

Coach, pregnant woman charged with visa fraud in Lagos.

A thirty-three-year-old badminton coach, Edu Olukayode and a woman have been arraigned for allegedly forging the signature of an official of the National Sports Commission.

The prosecution said the accused forged the official’s signature to procure Indian visas.

Olukayode and Ogunsheye Shakirat are facing a four-count charge of conspiracy and forgery at an Igbosere Senior Magistrate’s Court.

Sergent, Isiaka Babarinsa told the court that the accused persons with others now at large had on February twenty forged an invitation letter dated February fifteen purported to have been issued by the Judo Federation of India.

Similarly, they were also alleged to have forged a letter in the name of the Nigeria Judo Federation on the same date to get the visas.

The accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge and were granted bail in the sum of fifty thousand naira and one surety each.

Senior Magistrate,Folake Davies-Abegunde adjourned the case till July eight for further hearing.

Police arrest four suspected car thieves.

The Police has arrested a four-member gang which specialised in stealing exotic cars.

They were arrested on June two by policemen attached to the Maroko Police Station on Victoria Island, Lagos.

Police Public Relations Officer,Frank Mba who made this known while parading the suspects said the suspects were arrested following a tip off that a Range Rover Jeep and a Honda mini Jeep were stolen through the conspiracy of the driver of the vehicles.

Mba who said the police were still on the trail of the gang’s leader said such stolen vehicles were usually given fake numbers before being disposed in other parts of the country.

He said Preliminary investigations show that the gang had contacts in Benue and Bauchi States, saying further investigations had begun.

The Spokesman urged car owners to take extra measures in securing their vehicles, saying the tracking device helped the police to recover the stolen cars.

Three soldiers arraigned for robbery.

The police in Lagos has arraigned three friends, who claimed to be soldiers, over alleged conspiracy, theft and illegal interception of goods.

Abdulraman Sanni, Sanni Usman and Shehu Danladi who were charged before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court, pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge.

Prosecutor, Inspector Barth Nwokenye, told the court that the accused, who were dressed in military uniforms, diverted a trailer which carried six hundred bags of sugar.

He said the goods belonged to the Dangote Group of Company and that the trailer was conveying the items from Lagos to the northern part of the country when it was intercepted and diverted by the accused.

Magistrate Teslim Elias granted the accused bail in the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand with two sureties each and adjourned the case till June thirty for further hearing.

Police promise thorough investigation in alleged killing.

The police in Lagos have begun investigation into the death of a Julius Berger senior driver, who was allegedly pushed from a flyover, by a policeman.

The deceased, simply identified as Baba Ahmed, was said to have been pushed down from the Orile/Iganmu interchange flyover during an argument with the policeman.

Witnesses said the driver died instantly.

Assistant Commissioner of Police,Bashir Abdullahi said in Lagos that the police would thoroughly investigate the alleged incident.

Abdullahi, the Commander, Area C Police Command, Lagos, said the police were embarrassed by the report.

He said at the moment, the police had yet to know the truth of the story and which of its personnel was allegedly involved.

Policemen from the Area C had to keep security at the place to avoid a break down of law and order.

Meanwhile, the police arrested two young men, who allegedly attempted to pick the pockets of some people at the scene of the incident.

The suspects were detained at the Iponri Police Station.

A journalist with the Vanguard newspaper said that he narrowly escaped losing his camera and GSM phones to the suspected thieves.

The management of Julius Berger declined comment on the death of the driver, as it claimed it was unaware of the incident.

The company’s Public Relation Officer, who refused to disclose her name, claimed that she only heard of the incident from journalists.

Julius Berger workers protest alleged killing of colleague in Lagos.

Workers of Julius Berger Construction company have in Lagos barricaded the four routes on the Iganmu interchange bridge to protest the alleged killing of a colleague.

The workers who blocked the road with their trucks, alleged that one of their senior drivers was thrown down the sixteen-metre-high bridge by a policeman.

The incident resulted in a gridlock on the Orile-Iganmu and Ijora roads during rush hour.

It forced many commuters, especially public workers, to abandon their vehicles and trek to their offices.

The protesting workers were demanding the release of the corpse of the driver simply identified as Baba Ahmed, who they alleged, had been taken away to an unknown place by the police.

When contacted, Police Public Relation’s Officer, Frank Mba said he was yet to be briefed.

He, however, promised to contact the Iporin-Alaka Police Station where the officers might have been drafted from.

That Julius Berger is handling the expansion of the Lagos-Badagry expressway.

Lagos State Police Commissioner,Marvel Akpoyibo has ordered all Area Commanders, DPOs and Area Traffic Officers to arrest commercial motorcyclists that contravened traffic regulations.

The order to arrest such motorcyclists was aimed at improving the traffic situation in the state.

Police Public Relations Officer,Frank Mba said the manner in which commercial motorcyclists also known as okada riders disobeyed traffic rules was becoming worrisome to the Commissioner.

Mba said the commissioner’s order must be strictly carried out, stressing that any arrested motorcyclist would be prosecuted according to the law.

According to him, if motorists and motorcyclists obey traffic rules, there will be less traffic jams in Lagos state.

He advised motorists to ensure they put in place all needed facilities during this rainy season, to help reduce traffic jams resulting from broken down vehicles.

Also the Lagos State Government had banned the use of commercial motorcycles for carrying pregnant women with effect from July one.

The operators were also barred from carrying school-age children and women with babies strapped to their backs, as part of the enforcement of traffic laws and regulations in the state.

Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Transportation,Kayode Opeifa,said the enforcement of the law became necessary as the government was keen on protecting the lives of its citizens.

Opeifa advised both the riders and their passengers to wear crash helmets, while all motorcycle operators must possess riders’ cards.

He warned that no okada operator should carry more than one passenger at a time or carry a passenger with load and should not ply the expressway.

Also, anybody below eighteen years of age was barred from operating a commercial motorcycle.

The regulation also banned the fixing of vehicle horns and stereo systems on commercial motorcycles.

NDLEA arrests more than two thousand drug traffickers in five months.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested two thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight suspected drug traffickers between January and May this year.

The suspects included two thousand seven hundred eighty males and one hundred and three females.

A total of seventy-seven thousand seven hundred and ninety-six point one two kilograms of narcotic drugs were seized from the suspects.

Cannabis—popularly called Indian hemp—formed the biggest chunk at seventy-seven thousand two hundred sixty-seven point zero four kilograms.

Psychotropic substances accounted for four hundred and nineteen point five nine kilograms of the seizures, while cocaine and heroin of eighty-two point two eight one kilograms and twenty-seven point two one kilograms, made up the balance.

Also Six hundred and seventy-four offenders were convicted by the law courts within the period.

Its chairman,Ahmadu Giade who made this known said the agency would continue to collaborate with stakeholders in the war against narcotics.

He urged members of the public to actively participate in the campaign against narcotics and save the youth from drug abuse and trafficking.

This is contained in a statement made available to Security Alert with Jide by Its Head of Public Affairs,Mitchell Ofoyeju.

Ten thousand job-seekers scramble for Police jobs.

More than ten thousand job-seekers have accessed the police website to download forms for recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force, two days after the commencement of the police recruitment exercise.

Force Public Relations Officer,Assistant Commissioner of Police,Emmanuel Ojukwu described response by job-seekers into the force as tremendous.

Ojukwu said various Police Public Relations Officers in State Commands had been given directives on how to respond to enquiries on the recruitment exercise to enable young Nigerians access the website.

According to him, at the end of the exercise on tuesday next week, the number of those who visited the website to access forms for jobs would be made known.

Ojukwu directed interested applicants to visit the Police website at www.nigeriapolice.org to access forms for the exercise.

He advised the applicants to submit their completed forms at police commands in their respective states of origin.

Security Alert with Jide reports that the Police had announced it would from June fourteen recruit about foortythousand personnel into the Constable Cadre.

Court threatens to seal premises over poor sanitation.

A Grade A Customary Court in Mushin, Lagos has threatened to seal off a building at Bakari Street Mushin, over its unhygienic state.

Court President,Abayomi Ipaye, made the threat when health officials of the Mushin Local Council arraigned the landlady,Risikat Makinde.

Council’s Sanitation Officer,Raji Razak, had on April sixteen, docked Makinde for not repairing broken down facilities in the house.

Razak said she failed to repair the defective roof and the facing board.

He also accused Makinde of failing to plaster the cracked walls and floor,saying the house had no kitchen.

He told the court that the landlady also failed to repair the toilet and the bathroom.

According to him, the landlady is only interested in collecting rent, without caring for the tenants welfare.

Makinde told the court that she permanently resided in Abeokuta, Ogun and she usually visited Lagos only to collect the rent.

Spokesman of the tenants,Isa Aminu, confirmed the dilapidated state of the building, but said tenants were unable to raise money to carry out the needed repairs.

Court president gave the landlady one month’s grace to enable her to effect the repairs.

Ipaye said that would order the sealing off of the property if the landlady failed to effect the repairs, in accordance with Sections seven and eight of the Public Health of Lagos State Laws.

Court to rule July seven on reopening of my pikin factory.

The Federal High Court, Lagos, has adjourned till July seven, ruling on whether to re-open the factory that manufactured suspected child-killer teething mixture, My Pikin.

National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control had last year dragged the Managing Director of Barewa Pharmaceuticals Limited, Kola Okunola to court for allegedly producing the mixture and sealed the company.

He was charged along with his employees, Adeyemo Abiodun and Egbele Austine as well as his firm, Barewa Pharmaceuticals Limited.

Counsel to the accused persons,Osaro Eghobamien, had urged the court to order the Agency to unseal the company pending the determination of the case.

Counsel to the Agency,Tony Ijohor, opposed the application on the ground that the company was sealed to protect it as a crime scene as the court was yet to visit it.

He contended that the application was a ploy to tamper with the scene of crime before the conclusion of trial.

Justice Okechukwu Okeke consequently adjourned the case to July seven,nine and twelve for ruling and the commencement of trial.

Woman, three men in court over theft of two containers.

A fifty-five-year-old woman, Mariam Muhammed, along with three men,have appeared before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court charged with forgery of the receipts of the Nigeria Customs Service.

The other accused persons are Nduka Elue , Ignatius Umunnakwe and Festuis Ogbuike.
The four accused, who claimed to be clearing agents, are facing a six-count charge of conspiracy, forgery, stealing and receiving stolen goods.

They all pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutor, Inspector Chris Takim, said the accused conspired and forged the revenue receipts to enable them to steal two containers of goods.

Magistrate O.A. Adedayo granted the accused bail in the sum of one million naira with two sureties each, and adjourned the case till July five for further hearing.

Also, the police in Lagos has arraigned a thirty-year-old man, Olatunde Obe, before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court over one point six million naira fraud.

Obe, who allegedly defrauded a car dealer, pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge before Magistrate A. O. Komolafe.

Prosecutor, Inspector Eranus Nnamonu, submitted that Obe, who claimed to be a clearing agent with Fadolu and Sons, defrauded Femi Adeyemo, under the pretext that he would assist him to clear his five vehicles within five days.

The court granted the accused bail in the sum of one million naira with two sureties in like sum.

Further hearing in the case will come up on July five.

Police constable dismissed for allegedly killing bank security man.

The Police Command in Lagos State has dismissed a police constable, Mohammed Abubakar, for allegedly killing a security man attached to the Ifako-Gbagada, Lagos, branch of Intercontinental Bank Plc.

The dismissal followed a directive from the Police Commissioner, Marvel Akpoyibo after he was found guilty in an orderly room trial instituted by the Commissioner.

The suspect is currently being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, and will soon be charged to court for murder.

Police Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba said the dismissed policeman was posted to the branch on May second the day of the incident.

Security Alert with Jide gathered that the remains of the deceased late Attah Jacob were deposited at the mortuary of Isolo General Hospital on the advice of the bank authorities.

The corpse was later taken to Ikeja General Hospital mortuary by the bank and family members when they discovered that the corpse was decomposing.

Media Relations Officer of Intercontinental Bank, Oluwaseun Adesida, confirmed the incident but said the deceased was not an employee of the bank.

Adesida, however, said the bank was doing something to help the family with the burial. However, two family members of the deceased, Messrs Scotty Uso and Ini Udoh, said the bank had yet to fulfill its promise one month after their breadwinner was killed on duty.

Jacob was employed by Integrated Corporate Services, a security outfit in Ilupeju, Lagos.

Spokesman for the security outfit, Wole Faweye confirmed that Jacob was an employee of the company who started work in April.

He said the company was working out some form of compensation for the family, including settlement of his entitlements, although the company's officials had yet to meet with the family.

NDLEA re-arrest ex-convict, six others for alleged drug trafficking

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has announced the arrest of an ex-convict at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos, for alleged drug trafficking.

The suspect who was arrested on June three during the screening of passengers on an Iberia flight to Madrid, Spain, allegedly tested positive to ingesting drug.

Its Head of Public Affairs,Mitchell Ofoyeju who identified the suspect as Uzoaru Oliver said Uzoaru expelled sixty pieces of powdery substance weighing nine hundred and fifteen grammes.

Ofoyeju said Uzoaru was first arrested April last year while about to board a KLM flight to Holland with one point two seven three kilograms of cocaine in his stomach.

He said Uzoaru was charged to court and sentenced to eight months imprisonment after which he regained his freedom in December last year.

In a related development Chairman National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Ahmadu Giade has condemned a situation by which a convicted suspect spends below ten years in prison.

Giade want drug traffickers to be sentenced by courts to fifteen years as stipulated in the Act setting up the agency.

According to him, the unfortunate situation where drug convicts get re-cycled is avoidable and the re-arrest of the ex-convict is an indication that light sentences do not deter.

He said there is need for a collective responsibility and all hands must be on deck to work towards a drug-free Nigeria because a crime that is highly lucrative requires stiff penalty to enforce compliance.

NDLEA re-arrest ex-convict, six others for alleged drug trafficking.

Police to recruitment forty-thousand constables,says - FPRO

The Nigeria Police Force is to recruit forty-thousand personnel into the constable cadre.

Force Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Ojukwu said the recruitment would begin on today and end on tuesday next week.

Ojukwu directed prospective applicants to download forms for the exercise from the Police website at www.nigerianpolice.org.

He said all completed forms by the applicants, who must be holders of the West African School Certificate should be submitted at their respective state of origin, for processing.

The Police Spokesman however, did not give a breakdown of the number of applicants expected from each state.

Agency introduces new method to check fake drugs.

National Food and Drug Administration and Control Agency at its Lagos office,has introduce a solution meant to be the silver bullet against the monstrous fake drug business in the country.

The data collected from a three-month trial of the Mobile Authentication Service, an SMS-based solution implemented by Sproxil Incorporated will also be discussed at a meeting with drugs manufacturers and retailers.

The innovative technology has been described as most suitable for checkmating fake drugs in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the counterfeit drugs business is estimated to be worth about seventy-five billion dollars, because it utilises the ubiquitous mobile phone platform.

The model is as simple as a consumer walking into a pharmaceutical store to buy drugs, which would have a scratch panel.

The consumer scratches the panel and sends the code on it to a well-advertised number through SMS and A confirmation message will be sent back confirming the genuineness or otherwise of the drug, If the drug is counterfeited, the consumer is expected to inform the Agency.

This model, which will also be effective against all forms of counterfeited and sub-standard products, will turn consumers to an independent army of anti-counterfeit officials, one as big as the entire Nigerian populace, if implemented efficiently.

The document, was prepared by a national committee inaugurated by the Agency Director General,Paul Orhii, in June last year.

The committee consisted of representatives of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers of Nigeria, Nigerian Representatives of Overseas Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and mPedigree, the company marketing the product.

The committee submitted its report, Deployment of National Electronic Anti-Counterfeiting Platform for Regulated Products in Nigeria, in September last year.

Thereafter, Biofem agreed to use its highly counterfeited product, glucophage, as a guinea pig and in February, the Agency announced a trial project, to be implemented by Sproxil.

The feasibility of the guideline document requires several partnership agreement and understanding among several components of the design including telecommunication companies, drug manufacturing companies, Information Technology Company and the Agency.

However, Biofem-Spiroxil partnership has within a shorter period, produced an implementation platform for the technology and the trial has received positive feedback from industry stakeholders.

Twenty-five-year-old in court over car theft.

A Surulere Magistrate’s Court in Lagos has granted bail in the sum of fifty thousand naira and two sureties to a twenty-five-year-old-man charged with attempted theft of a car.

Magistrate Biola Soladoye granted Osidero Ayomide bail after he pleaded not guilty to the one-count charge.

Prosecutor, Inspector Olaide Sunday, had submitted that the accused on April this year attempted to steal a Honda Accord car at the Games Village, off Bode Thomas Street, Surulere.

Sunday said that the accused attempted to start the car with a master key but was caught.

Further hearing in the case will come up on June twenty-one.

Man arraigned for stabbing friend.

A middle-aged man, Saheed Olabode,has been arraigned for allegedly stabbing a friend.

The accused, who appeared before an Apapa Senior Magistrate’s Court, is facing a one-count charge of assault.

Olabode, however, pleaded not guilty before Senior Magistrate Ariyike Ipaye-Nwachukwu.

Prosecutor, Sergent Uche Kalu, insisted that the accused had a case to answer, alleging he stabbed Samuel Ekpo, with a broken bottle following a disagreement.

Ipaye-Nwachukwu admitted the accused to a bail in the sum of one hundred thousand naira with two sureties and adjourned the case till July twenty-six.

Woman seeks divorce after two years of marriage.

A twenty-four-year-old petty trader has prayed the Ikorodu Customary Court in Lagos State to dissolve her two-year-old marriage over alleged neglect by her husband.

Olamide Ogunlana told the court that her husband, Olawale Ogunlana, had not been taking care of her and their only child, aged one.

She pleaded with the court to dissolve the union to save her from untimely death, saying she was no longer interested in the relationship.

The plaintiff urged the court to grant her the custody of the child who, she said, had been taken by Olawale.

Responding, Olawale consented to the dissolution of the marriage, saying that he was no longer interested in it.

In her ruling, Court President, Remi Adesanya, said the respondent was in support of the dissolution of the union and it showed that both parties were no longer interested in it.

She directed Olawale to bring the child to the court on monday when judgment would be delivered.

Police parade driver who allegedly impregnated daughter.

The police in Lagos State have arrested a thirty-seven-year-old commercial bus driver for allegedly impregnating his twelve- year-old daughter.

Police Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba said the suspect was arrested on June eight at his Ikorodu residence.

Mba said the suspect’s neighbour interrogated the girl after she noticed that her stomach was growing bigger.

According to him, during questioning, the girl said her father had been having sex with her but the neighbour reported the case to the Ikpakodo Police Station, where the suspect confessed to the crime.

He said the girl was consequently taken to the Ikorodu General Hospital for a pregnancy test, which confirmed her as pregnant.

Mba said the police would carry out more tests with a view to ascertaining the age of the pregnancy.

The police spokesman said the suspect claimed he was moved to have sex with his daughter while sleeping on the same bed with her.

He said the police would prosecute the suspect and liaise with non-governmental organisations and women groups for the rehabilitation of the girl.

Police arraign man for stabbing a friend.

A twenty-six-year-old man has been charged before a Surulere Magistrate’s Court for allegedly assaulting and stabbing a friend in a brawl.

The prosecution said Elis Igbinere stabbed Dare Ojogbede on his shoulder with a knife.

Charged with a two-count of assault and causing bodily harm, the accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

According to Inspector Olaide Sunday, the accused stabbed Ojogbede, following a disagreement over money.

Magistrate, Abiola Soladoye, admitted the accused to bail in the sum of fifty thousand naira with two sureties and adjourned the case till June seventeen.

Military coup over in Nigeria,says Dike.

Chief of Defence Staff,Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike has said the era of toppling democratically-elected government by the military is over in the country.

Dike was speaking at a Civil-Military Forum organised by the Defence Headquarters, Abuja, for members of the public and military personnel in Jos.

According to him, the military was not trained to rule but to protect the country against external aggression.

He cautioned young military officers, who nursed the ambitions to rule the country while in military uniform to reconsider the ambition and leave governance to civilians.
Dike spoke through Director, Civil-Military Cooperation at the Defence Headquarters, Major-General Dung Chong.

Earlier in his remark,General Officer Commanding, three Armoured Division, Nigerian Army, Jos, Major-General Saleh Maina described the military as the last hope of the common man.

According to him, it is expected that the forum will go a long way in enhancing the relationship between the civilians and the military and curtail the incessant crises in Plateau.

Chairman of the Forum, retired Rear Admiral Francis Akpan, said the idea of the forum was to explore the strength in communal living and discourage the weaknesses that could disintegrate the country.

He stressed the need to change the negative mindset of the civil populace about soldiers and sensitise military personnel to the importance of cordial relationship with the larger society.

Lagos rescues ten children, aged six months to ten years from orphanage.

Officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development has rescued ten children at an illegal orphanage in Alakuko area in Lagos.

Ministry of Youth and Social Developmen said the children, three boys and seven girls, were aged between six months and ten years.

Its Spokeswoman,Titilayo Oshodi-Eko, said the children were rescued from Jesus Cares Orphanage located at twenty three Alaba Taiwo Street, Kollington Bus Stop, Alakuko.

Oshodi-Eko explained that the orphanage was discovered when one Prince Eteng, was arrested begging for alms in a commercial bus between Ikeja and Sango, Ota, Ogun State, on behalf of the children in the orphanage.

A female Information Officer with the Lagos State Government was said to have accosted Eteng and dragged him with the help of another man to the Ikeja Local Government Secretariat Police Post.

Oshodi-Eko said officials of the ministry, who later visited the orphanage, discovered that the environment was poor and empty with no sign of foodstuff.

She said the case was first reported at the Alakuko Police Station before the children were moved to the State Secretariat, Alausa.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth and Social Development, Dolapo Badru said the children had been moved to the government orphanage at Idi-Araba.

She vowed that government would not relent in its efforts to rid the state of illegal orphanage operators.

Court dissolves marriages over battery, drunkenness.

A Grade A Customary Court in Ikorodu, Lagos State has dissolved a sixteen-year-old marriage over the battery of the woman.

Court President, Remi Adesanya, dissolved the union of Samson Bazuaye and Mobola Bazuaye, following a petition by the latter.

Adesanya held that both parties consented to the dissolution of the relationship.

She ordered Samson to pay Mobola nine thousand naira monthly for the children’s upkeep.

Also, the court dissolved the twelve-year-old marriage between Joseph Solomon and Mrs Risikatu Solomon because the former was always drunk.

Court President, Remi Adesanya, said efforts to save the marriage had failed.

She gave the custody of the first two children of the marriage to the man and directed him to pay Risikatu seven thousand five hundred naira monthly for the upkeep of the other three children who should be with their mother.

The petitioner, Risikatu, had told the court that Joseph regularly got drunk and beat her each time he was in that state.

She submitted that Solomon was not taking care of the five children aged eleven,eight, five, three and one.

Responding, Joseph prayed the court to grant him the custody of their first two children.

Court remands technician for removing student's eye.

A twenty six-year old technician has been arraigned at the Apapa Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos for plucking an eye-ball of a Lagos State University student.

The accused, Peter Romeo, is facing a two-count charge of breach of peace and assault before Magistrate, Oluyemisi Adelaja.

Prosecutor, Sergent Benedict Unawunwa, told the court that Romeo used a sharp knife to stab the student on his right eye and forcefully removed his eye causing him grievous harm and permanent disability.

Under cross-examination by the prosecutor, the victim, Femi Olugbeje told the court that the accused came to where he was selling video cassette to purchase some cassettes on the night of the incident.

Olugbeje said the accused refused to pay the money agreed upon for the cassette and in the process, he brought out a knife from his pocket and stabbed him.

He said he resorted to selling video cassette due to the Academic Staff Union of Universities strike to complement and have money for his studies.

Romeo pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge.

The Magistrate adjourned further hearing to June twenty-eight and ordered the accused to be remanded in prison custody.

Inadequate equipment hinders operations of civil defence corps in Badagry.

Inadequacy of facilities is hindering the operations of the Badagry Office of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

Badagry Divisional Officer, James Wachin said the corps was not able to carry out constant surveillance on facilities in Badagry.

Wachin said Badagry Division Office is lacking operational facilities such as vehicles, functional office, arms, bullet- proof vests, and as such cannot confront vandals.

He who pledged that the corps would do its best with the available resources said the corps would collaborate with other para-military agencies in Badagry to rid the area of vandalism.

The Federal Government set up the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in all local governments to enhance protection of oil pipelines and telecommunications facilities as well as other government property.

Ports ministerial taskforce uncovers collection of unauthorised fees.

The Ministerial Taskforce on Port Charges and Efficiency has uncovered some irregularities, especially the collection of unauthorised fees in all terminals so far visited.

Taskforce Chairman, who is also a Deputy Director, Federal Ministry of Transport, Chinwe Ezenwa said the taskforce had inspected Port and Cargo Terminal ,Tin Can Island Container Terminal and Five Star Logistics.

Ezenwa said the committee had also visited APM Terminals Apapa and ENL Consortium at the Lagos Port Complex .

According to her, the same story on illegal collection of charges and other practices, which made cargo delivery and clearance costs to be exorbitant were observed in all the terminals.

Ezenwa said the committee had met with the chief executives and management personnel at the terminals and also met with the customs areas controllers at both Apapa and Tin -Can Island ports.

She said the meeting was to ensure that all irregularities impeding effective and competitive port operations were removed and that Nigerian shippers were made to enjoy value for their money.

The taskforce was inaugurated on June three by the Minister of Transport, Yusuf Suleiman and has seven days to complete its assignment.

Suspected ATM fraudster gets bail.

An Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court in Lagos has granted bail to a twenty-eight-year-old student charged with Automated Teller Machine ATM fraud.

Maemeka Onyeka, according to the prosecution, allegedly manipulated accounts of customers of Diamond and Zenith Banks using ATMs.

The accused, who is facing a two-count charge of fraud and stealing, has however, pleaded not guilty.

Magistrate, M.O. Olubi granted him bail in the sum of fifty thousand with two sureties and adjourned the case till July nineteen for further hearing.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Inspector Sam Omoyeni told the court that Onyeka was a student of an undisclosed tertiary institution in Enugu State, who specialized in manipulating bank accounts.

He said the offence was punishable with seven years imprisonment on conviction.

Fifty-year-old mechanic in police net for defiling seven-year-old girl.

The Police in Lagos have paraded a fifty-year-old widower name withheld, for allegedly defiling a seven-year-old girl.

Police Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, who paraded the suspect said he had confessed to luring the girl with biscuits.

Mba said the widower who is also a mechanic, was arrested on June six at Iyana-Igbede, Ilemba, Lagos and had confessed to having defiled the little girl on four different occasions.

According to him,the suspect, who lost his wife three years ago, claimed that he usually lured the girl into his room whenever she was asked to fetch water from his compound.

Mba explained that the mechanic's alleged amorous behaviour was exposed when the victim’s eldest sister caught them in the act and reported the incident to their grandmother, as their mother was away on a business trip.

He said the girl was taken to the Badagry General Hospital for test and the result showed that her hymen had been broken, while her private part was emitting a foul odour.

Police Commissioner, Marvel Akpoyibo, had ordered that the suspect be charged to court immediately.

Three UBA employees docked over ATM fraud.

Three employees of United Bank for Africa Plc, among them two women, have been docked in Lagos for allegedly defrauding a customer.

The trio, Chude Chidinma,Oladapo Omogbehin, and Oluwakemi Nwauzo were said to have defrauded Sergent Martins Omosefe of two hundred and twenty-three thousand, seven hundred and sixty.

The accused are facing a four-count charge of conspiracy, impersonation and stealing before Kemi Doja-Ojo of an Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court.

The Prosecutor, Inspector Phillip Ugbodu, told the court that the accused were employees of the Ilupeju branch of the bank.

If the accused are convicted they risk seven years imprisonment.

They however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and were each granted bail in the sum of fifty thousand naira.

Doja-Ojo adjourned the case till July nineteen for further hearing.

Court grants notorious car snatcher bail.

A suspected car snatcher and seven others have been arraigned before an Apapa Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos.

The accused person Chukwuka Collins who claimed to be a businessman, allegedly stole fifteen cars in different parts of the state, valued at seven point five million naira.

The seven others, who were charged for receiving the stolen vehicles are Saheed Modasho, Moshood Adekunle, Saheed Lasisi and Ndubuisi Okafor.

The others are Arinze Madukegbu, Robinson Oghenejuwerhe and Matthew Jimoh.

Prosecutor, Sergent Benedict Unawunwa, told the court that the accused and others still at large committed the office between December last year and March this year.

He said the stolen cars included Mercedes Benz, Jetta Volkwagen and Audi eighty.

The eight accused pleaded not guilty.

Counsel to the accused, Nelson Onyejaka, Olufela Olubi and P. Osajiede, urged the court to grant them bail on liberal terms, saying the offence was bailable.

But the prosecutor objected to the request on the grounds that the accused might jump bail.

Magistrate, Oluyemisi Adelaja, however, granted them bail and adjourned the case till July five for further hearing.

Taskforce arrests forty-eight area boys and under-aged girls in Oshodi.

The Lagos State Special Taskforce on Environmental and other Related Offences has arrested forty-eight suspected miscreants and five under-age girls at Oshodi, Lagos.

Its Chairman,Superintendent of Police Bayo Sulaimon said the suspects were arrested following raids carried out at night on June six and seven.

Sulaimon said the minors, who were between twelve and sixteen years, were alleged to have been used by criminals in the area.

According to him, weeds suspected to be Indian hemp was recovered from them.

He said the raids were part of government's efforts to maintain the sanity being restored to Oshodi and its environs.

The Taskforce Boss who reiterated government's commitment to rid the state of miscreants and make the metropolis a safe place to live in,said the suspects would soon be charged to court.

Oil worker,two others arrested for kidnapping.

The Police in Lagos have foiled anattempt to kidnap the son of the Chief Executive Officer of a bank.

The police have equally arrested three suspects, including a Geologist, Omotayo Mobolaji-Johnson, working with the United States oil major Chevron.

Police Commissioner,Marvel Akpoyibo made this known in Ikeja while parading the suspected kidnappers and other suspected criminals arrested by the police.

Akpoyibo, who did not mention the names of the bank executive and his son, said the Police through intelligence reports intercepted information about the kidnapping.

The reports that other suspected kidnappers paraded include Tommy Ebikeme and Edward Anigbhorom both allegedly recruited from the Niger Delta by Mobolaji-Johnson.

According to him, as soon as they got the information, he mobilised intelligence and undercover operatives around the office premises for surveillance.

He said the efforts of his men paid off several hours later, when they arrested the three suspects connected with the plot.

The Police Boss said two vehicles, a KIA SUV and an Infinity Sports Utilitiy SUV, which were being used by the suspects to monitor the movement of their victim were recovered.

Other items recovered from them are some substances, suspected to be sleeping drugs, syringes, with which the suspects intended to inject the victim.

He said preliminary investigation indicated that the kidnappingplot was hatched and masterminded by Mobolaji-Johnson, whose wife was working in one of the companies owned by the targetted victim's father.

Crime Correspondent,Jide Alli-Balogun reports that Mobolaji-Johnson and the other suspects refused to speak with newsmen when they were asked some questions.

Children sue Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation over sale of late businessman's property.

The Federal High Court has fixed June twenty-two for hearing in a suit filed by four children of late industrialist Babatunde Adeyemi against Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation.

The Adeyemis,Lucia,Patricia,Charles and Anthony alleged that the Corporation sold a property situated at Muri Okunola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, that belonged to their father.

They want the court to set aside the sale and order a perpetual injunction restraining Corporation from entering or taking possession of the property.

At the resumed hearing of the matter counsel to the Corporation,Ayodeji Owobiyi, told the court that he was unable to serve his reply on the plaintiffs.

Counsel to the plaintiffs,Wemimo Ogunde, told the court that he had no objection for an adjournment.

Justice Okechukwu Okeke urged counsel involved in the matter to ensure that due process was followed in filing and serving their court processes.

Police arrest two over fake currencies.

The Police in Lagos has arrested two men, who are specialised in printing fake currencies.

The suspects were arrested at their hideout in Ketu, a Lagos suburb, on June three following a tip-off.

Crime Correspondent, Jide Alli-Balogun reports that Large quantities of currencies including dollars and euros, suspected to be counterfeits, were recovered from the suspects.

Parading the suspects before newsmen, Police Commissioner Marvel Akpoyibo said detectives also recovered high quality printing photocopiers and papers for the illicit business.

He said further investigations into the incident had begun.

Unemployed in court over three point five million naira fraud.

A thirty-three-year-old unemployed man, Collins Unakalamba has appeared before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court over alleged three point five million naira fraud.

Unakalamba is facing an eleven-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and obtaining money by false witness but he pleaded not guilty before Magistrate T. Akanni.

Prosecutor, Corporal Rosemary Ehinmegbe,said Unakalamba and another person still at large defrauded the sum from one Felix Njoku between May and June twenty zero seven.

The prosecutor said the accused committed the alleged fraud at a branch of the First City Monument Bank located at Sanusi Fafunwa Street.

Akanni granted the accused bail in the sum of one million naira with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till June thirty for further hearing.

Immigration nabs traditional chief for human trafficking in Lagos.

The Nigeria Immigration Service,has paraded a suspected human trafficker and two young girls, believed to be his potential victims.

Lagos Command Comptroller,Joseph Olaitan, told newsmen that the suspect, who claimed to be a first class chief in Edo, was arrested at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.

Olaitan said the chief, who was travelling with the girls to Turkey, was arrested at the airport at the weekend.

He reiterated the command's zero tolerance for child or human trafficking, saying adequate measures had been introduced to check such crimes.

The comptroller said an official passport, usually issued only to top government officials, was recovered from the suspected trafficker.

The trio had been handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons for further investigation.

Federal Capital Territory Customs records high revenue in May.

The Federal Capital Territory Command of Nigeria Customs Service has made the sum of four hundred and sixty-four point eight million naira as revenue in May.

With the figure the command is said to have surpassed its monthly target of four hundred and sixteen point seven million naira by about thirty-seven million naira.

Its Comptroller,Usman Bello who made this known said the revenue was forty point five million naira higher than that of last year.

Bello said he was impressed with the performances of the officers and men of the command for surpassing the target.

He said to this end, all the officers in the command are hereby implored not to rest on their oars, but to re-double their efforts in achieving the twenty ten revenue target set for the command.

This is contained in a statement by the command spokesman,Eke Chukwuma and made available to Security Alert with Jide.

Robbery suspect chopped off chief's ear.

The Police in Lagos said a robbery suspect, who allegedly chopped off the right ear of a traditional chief in Lagos, had a case to answer.

The accused, Chigozie Okafor has been standing trial since March last year on a three-count charge of assault, felony and stealing at an Apapa Senior Magistrate’s Court.

Okafor, who had earlier pleaded not guilty, was granted bail in the sum of two hundred thousand naira at his first arraignment on March eleven,last year.

But the prosecution told the court that the accused and another still at large had hit Eze Edwin Onyeka with a plank on the head in a bid to rob him of his personal effects.

According to Sergent Uche Kalu, Okafor and his accomplice robbed their victim of a Nokia E71 handset valued at sixty-six thousand naira and one hundred thousand naira cash.

He said the accused was later apprehended by the police for biting off the victim’s right ear.

Earlier under cross-examination, Ogunmola Saheed from the General Hospital, Ajegunle, confirmed that Onyeka’s ear was chopped off, saying he referred him to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital for surgery.

Senior Magistrate,Ariyike Ipaye-Nwachukwu, adjourned further hearing till June eleven.

Driver appears in court for killing co-tenant.

A Magistrate's Court in Ebute Meta, Lagos,has ordered a commercial tricycle driver, Ebenezer Thomas to be remanded in prison custody for allegedly killing his co-tenant over misunderstanding.

Magistrate, Folashade Kayode ordered the accused to be locked up till July thirty, pending the advice of the State Director of Public Prosecutions.

The court did not take Thomas’ plea on the one-count charge because it lacked jurisdiction in murder cases.

Prosecutor, Inspector Nicholas Atunmoye, told the court that the accused had an undisclosed misunderstanding with a co-tenant, Adesoji Ojo.

Film marketer docked for defrauding producer of one point two million naira.

A thirty-five-year-old video film marketer, Bamson Olanrewaju, risks seven years imprisonment if found guilty of defrauding a Lagos-based producer of one point two million naira.

Olanrewaju is standing trial on a four-count charge of fraud and stealing before Patrick Adekomaiya, of the Yaba Magistrate’s Court in Lagos.

Prosecutor,Inspector Emmanuel Essien, told the court that the accused obtained an undisclosed quantity of a video film titled Eewu Nla valued at one point two million naira from Toafeek Oyeshiji.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the four-count charge and was granted bail in the sum of four hundred thousand naira with two sureties in like sum.

Adekomaiya adjourned the case till June twenty-one for further hearing.

NAFDAC SEIZES DRUGS WORTH FIVE HUNDRED MILLION NAIRA.

Fake drugs worth five hundred million naira have been seized in Lagos in the past three weeks.

The Drugs seized by National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control were imported from Hong Kong aboard a Qatar Airline between May eight and twenty-seven in five different flights.

The Agency Director-General,Paul Orhiiwho announced this paraded two suspects names withheld,for allegedly dealing in fake drugs and said they would soon be arraigned.

Orhii said the consignments of fake drugs were imported through NAHCO shed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos.

According to him, it would be difficult for members of the public to identify the fake products because some of them had NAFDAC numbers and hologram.

He noted that the syndicate had consistently imported the fake drugs in collusion with their counterparts in China.

The Director-General said the agency is working with its Chinese counterpart to arrest some operators and fake drug importers in China.

The fake drugs are anti-malarial and antibiotics and they include Lonart-DS, Lincocin capsule, Artesunate, Ampiclox five hundred milgrams, Persidon and Fungral two hundred milgrams.

Others are Septrin tablet, Postinor two, Perilon tablets B.P five milgrams and Tetanus antitoxin refined one thousand five hundred international unit.