POLICE SPOKESMAN IN LAGOS

Police dispel rumoured plan to bomb Third Mainland Bridge.

The Lagos State Police Command dispelled the rumour that the Boko Haram sect was planning to bomb the Third Mainland Bridge.
Public Relations Officer of the command, Samuel Jinadu, told journalists in Lagos that the rumour was unfounded.
“Our men are on ground, we have put adequate security measures in place to checkmate any infiltration of dissidents.
“Third Mainland Bridge is under close watch and the Lagos State Police
Command has ensured that all hands are on deck to stop any such act,”Jinadu, however, said.
He said that the command would not disclose the measures it had put in place to check incursions by any group of dissidents.
Court discharges bus driver in manslaughter case A commercial bus driver, Sunday Osita, was discharged by the Ejigbo Magistrates` Court in a manslaughter case.
Osita, 30, was arraigned on Monday for allegedly causing the death of a 37-year-old woman, Abimbola Oladele, through dangerous driving.
The driver who faced a two-count charge of reckless driving and manslaughter was discharged following a withdrawal of the case by the deceased family.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Olakunle Shonibare, told the court that the deceased family had brought a withdrawal letter and other documents to aid the withdrawal procedure.
The deceased family represented by the eldest brother of the deceased, Olusola Oladele, informed the court that the family had accepted their sister`s death in good faith.
He presented the withdrawal letter, death certificate and an affidavit of withdrawal to the court.
Magistrate Maimunat Folami, after proper verification of documents, granted the prayer of the complainant.
The accused pleaded not guilty and Magistrate Folami had granted him bail in the sum of N1million with two sureties in like sum.
Prosecution told the court that the accused committed the alleged offence on Aug. 17, at about 5p.m, at Soluos Bus-Stop, on Igando/Ikotun Road, Ikotun, Lagos.
Shonibare said the offence contravened Sections 28 (1) and 27 (1) Cap 124, Vol. 6 of the Road Traffic Act (RAT) of Lagos State.
Court remands bizman for fighting prosecutor
An Ebute-Meta Magistrate’s Court, Lagos on Friday ordered that a businessman, Akeen Sanusi be taken to prison for fighting a police prosecutor, Sgt. Idowu Onime within the court premises.
Senior Magistrate M.K.O Fadeyi, disturbed by the noise coming from outside the court had instructed his orderly to warn the people loitering around to be quiet.
Sanusi, who was among the loiters, refused to take the warning.
The Magistrate again sent the police prosecutor to ensure that those who did not adhere to the instruction were brought into the court room.
Sanusi, who claimed to be a businessman, engaged the prosecutor in a fight.
Shortly after, Sanusi was brought before the court and the judge ordered that he should be kept in prison for one week “until he learns the manner and ways of the court”.
Fadeyi said this would serve as deterrent to others, and adjourned the case to Friday, Sept. 9 for hearing.
Man, 37, arraigns for obtaining N2.6 million under pretence
The police on Friday arraigned a 37-year-old businessman, Adebayo Olusola, before an Apapa Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly obtaining 33,000 litres of diesel worth N2.6 million under false pretence.
Olusola is standing trial on a two-count charge of stealing and obtaining goods under false pretence.
The prosecutor, Cpl. John Iberedem, told the court that the accused collected the products from one Mrs Clara Mbasue, under the pretext that he would remit the money to her account after the sale.
Iberedem said that the offence was committed sometime in May 2010 at Apapa, Lagos.
The prosecutor, however, said that after selling the product, the accused failed to remit the money to Mbasue as agreed.
He said that the offences had contravened Sections 390 (9) and 419 Criminal Code Cap 17 Vol. 11 Laws of Lagos State.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Chief Magistrate, E. O. Ogundare, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
Ogundare directed that the sureties must show evidence of tax payment and sworn affidavit of means of livelihood as part of their bail conditions.
The case was adjourned till Sept. 16 for hearing. Commercial bus driver faces manslaughter charge
A commercial bus driver was on Friday appeared before a Surulere Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly driving recklessly, causing the death of a woman.
The accused, Olarenwaju Shittu, 44, is facing a five-count charge of dangerous driving, manslaughter and driving without a driver’s licence.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Sunday Olaide was, however, absent in court.
According to a charge read by the court clerk, the accused had on Aug. 25 on Lagos-Badagry Expressway driven his bus dangerously, killing Miss Sarah Amechi, a resident of Military Cantonment, Bonny Camp, Lagos.
The accused was also alleged to have injured a motorcyclist, Mr Stephen Amah.
The offences contravened Sections 7 (1), 27, 28 (1), and 29 (1) of the Road and Traffic Laws of Lagos State, he told the court.
Chief Magistrate Abiola Sholadoye granted the accused bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.
She adjourned the case till Sept. 23 for further hearing.
Man, 37, bags 18-month jail term for stealing fish
A former staff of Stallion Frozen Fish Company, Talabi Tokunbo , has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for stealing 1,461 cartoons of frozen fish.
Chief Magistrate Davies Abegunde of Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, sentenced Tokunbo, 37, on Thursday without an option of fine.
Abegunde expressed satisfaction at the convict’s admission of guilt and ordered him to be locked up at the Ikoyi Prisons with hard labour.
The prosecutor, ASP Eshiet Eshiet, told the court that Tokunbo stole the fish, valued at N4.3 million, at the company’s premises at No. 9 Kole St. Orile Igamu, Lagos, between 2007 and 2008.
Eshiet said the convict stole the fish in batches.
Youth leader charged with illegal possession of gun, ammunition
A 34-year-old youth leader appeared before a Yaba Magistrates Court in Lagos for allegedly unlawfully possessing a pistol and some ammunition.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Chinalu Uwadione, submitted that a locally-made pistol and live ammunition were found in the possession of Jamiu Sikiru on July 30 at Onosha Village in Ibeju Lekki.
Uwadione said that the gun and the ammunition were handed over to Sikiru by some leaders in the community after some youths intercepted an armed robbery gang at 12 p.m. on the said date.
He said that Sikiru received the gun and ammunition from the community leaders for the purpose of handing them over to the police, but he later denied receiving them.
The prosecutor said that the gun and the ammunition were recovered from the accused by the police after the case was reported.
Uwadione said that the alleged offence contravened Section 428 (d) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State.
Sikiru, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail by Magistrate P. O. Ojo in the sum of N100,000 with one surety in like sum.
The court adjourned the case till Oct. 3 for further hearing.
The forthcoming elections of the NURTW in Lagos promises to be bloody as the sides gear up for action
Daily commercial and domestic activities were paralysed because of a 30-minute invasion of Shorimade street, in the Ogba area of Lagos.
Two LT200 commuter buses filled with thugs blocked the entry and exit points of the street in search of "Warrior", a rival member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW.
According to an eyewitness; "The guy was just calling on the other man to come out of his hiding while his thugs were walking up and down the street."
Residents of Shorimade Street have appealed to the government, the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Kayode Opeifa, and the police authorities to ensure the man and his gang do not to turn their street into a battle field over their union disagreements.
An official of the NURTW known as Omoregie said several attempts have been made on the lives of some members of the union in the last two weeks. The leader of the rival group has become fearless becasue the Area G Police Command in Ogba appear helpless to stop them.
Omoregie said; "We are afraid because we are peaceful people, and we don’t want to confront thugs that go with machetes, guns and faeces. Just last week, some of our members were brutalised by this same man and the police couldn’t do a thing."
The forth-coming Lagos state council election of NURTW in the state will be bloody, if the government does not act on time, an official of the state NURTW has warned.
The union boss said some officials of the union who were responsible for the crisis that rocked the union between 2003 and 2006 are determined to cause serious trouble in the state council to discredit the present state executives and also bring in some expelled members of the union who were punished for their corrupt practices and anti-union activities.
“Some of the state exco who created problems in the state between 2003 and 2006 and who were also responsible for the crises that rocked Oyo State NURTW between 2006 and 2010 and also organised the infamous rally in 2005 in support of the PDP are now back and ready to cause mayhem during the forthcoming state council election.”
The union boss alleged that the group is now using annoymous text messages to carry out their campaign.
One of such messages sent to the chairmen said: “Up national; Up national!! Up national !!! Arise and shine. We are calling on all the Lagos State members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Lagos State chapter, to rise and fight against the oppression, maladministration, corruption and indiscipline acts of Alhaji Olohunwa and Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya (MC) in the affairs of our administration.”
NURTW boss declared wanted
Meanwhile a Lagos Chief Magistrate’s Court, sitting at Ikeja, Southwest Nigeria, issued a remand warrant for the detention in prison custody of the branch chairman of the NURTW Cele-Okota/Isolo-Ejigbo branch, Lateef Nosiru a.k.a. Oluomo of Cele.
Chief Magistrate Olufemi Akintunde Isaac issued the detention order for Oluomo and six other members of NURTW, Nurudeen Oladejobi, 35, Abiola Ayoola, 28, Jamiu Ogunlana, 34, Suleiman Anifowose, 35, Hakeem Ogunlowo, 35, and Tajudeen Soyoye, 48 who were charged with a three-count criminal conspiracy, assault and unlawful possession of guns and ammunition.
The police further alleged that when a team of police detectives swooped on the union members, one locally made double barrel gun and 20 rounds of live cartridges were found on them.
The police at Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Ikeja, Lagos, took the seven members of the union before the court in charge No. MIK/A/73/2011, alleging that on 22 August, 2011, at about 9.30 a.m. at the NURTW office, Cele/Ikotun Phase II, the accused persons conspired with others now on the run and beat up Shina Afeshe, an offence punishable with terms of imprisonment under section 517 of the criminal code, cap 17, Vol.11 laws of Lagos State.
All the accused persons were granted bail in the sum of N200,000 each with two sureties who must be responsible citizens with visible means of living. The sureties must each deposit N100,000 with the court and must produce three years tax clearance.
Further hearing has been fixed for 29 September 2011.