Southwestblog

  The former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Mr Abdulrasheed Maina on Thursday collapsed in court. The Federal Government is prosecuting Mr Maina on a 12-count charge of fraud and money laundering before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja. Mr Maina was recently extradited from the Niger Republic after he jumped bail and escaped the country. The former pension boss collapsed when his counsel, Anayo Adibe was addressing the court on his no-case submission before Justice Okon Abang. Before Maina’s collapse, his counsel was praying the court for an adjournment to enable him to get records of court proceedings. The proceedings would help him prepare for the no-case submission he intends to file on behalf of his client, Adibe said. But after Maina collapsed, the court rose abruptly to enable officials of the Correctional Service and relations of the former pension boss to attend to him. The matter had been adjourned on Wednesday to today for the defendant to argue hi...

  The Akinyele serial killer,Sunday Shodipe, that was recently declared wanted by the Police, following his illegal escape from Police custody on, 11, 08, 2020, has been re-arrested. It was announced early last week that, the suspected killer of Barakat at Akinyele was declared wanted. Details later....!!!

  Trader Caught Eating Human Feaces At Sango Market, Ibadan A trader, Emmanuel Egho popularly called 'Chidex' was nabbed eating human feaces at the premises of his shop in Sango Market, Ibadan.  The trader who is known for his large business of selling beauty products such as Weave-Ons, Shampoo, Creams and other beauty materials in the popular Sango market was said to be caught in the early hours of Saturday by another trader who saw him parking and eating human feces. This attracted a multitude of people at the premises, after which officials of the Oyo state police command were on ground to maintain peace and order. The Police Public Relations Officer of the Oyo state Police Command, SP. Olugbenga Fadeyi in a telephone interview hinted that Police have swung into action, adding that investigations have commenced. “People met him at the Dumpsite while he was packing human feces in the market.” SP. Fadeyi explained. “They took him to sango police station, The DPO has interview...

This was announced by the police command in Oyo State in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the command in the state, SP Fadeyi Olugbenga on Sunday morning. According to him, the suspect who had been charged to court escaped from lawful custody on the 11th of August He then urged the public to be on the lookout and inform the police command in the state about any information that can aid his re-arrest. The statement read:”The Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, CP. Joe Nwachukwu Enwonwu, psc wishes to state that, the prime suspect in the serial killings at Akinyele Local Government Area, Moniya Ibadan of Oyo State, one Sunday Shodipe ‘m’ 19 years who was arrested and paraded along with two others at the Oyo State Police Command on 17th July, 2020 and later charged to court but remanded in Police custody escaped from lawful custody on 11/08/2020. “Consequent upon this, the CP wishes to implore the general public to be on the lookout, arrest and immediately info...

            The lawmaker stepped the wrong toe after declaring his support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.  As the development aggravates amid political tension preluding the governorship election in the southsouth state, some men were caught on camera taking down the roofs of the assembly and breaking the mace figure on it. Loyalists to Godwin Obaseki and APC lawmakers working against the reelection of the governor are currently are said to be clashing inside the complex.  Governor Obaseki had earlier threatened to unleash violence in full force should the ruling party APC take to the rampage path. The governor made this vow while addressing pressmen as the gubernatorial election in the south-south state draws closer.  Edo election has been scheduled for September with both APC and PDP highlighting the guber race in a fierce feud that has put both parties at public loggerhead.  Kog...

An unidentified lady has been brutally killed just moments after she was spotted dancing and Twerking to Naira Marley hit song titled ‘Puta’According to the video footage, a man was seen close to the lady while she was dancing after some minutes later the lady was seen laying flat on the ground with whole body full of blood. Some voices were heard at the video background, saying “we are not ready to take any shit this time around, this is how we are going to deal with any Body who mess with us”.

The U.S. said on Wednesday that it has alerted the Nigerian authorities that the Al-Qaeda terrorist group has started penetrating the country through the north-western region. This was disclosed by the Commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command, Africa, Dagvin Anderson, during a press briefing, according the US Department of State He said the dreaded terrorist group is also expanding to other parts of West Africa. In the briefing obtained by TheCable, Anderson pointed out the US will continue to partner with Nigeria in sharing intelligence. “We have engaged with Nigeria and continue to engage with them in intel sharing and in understanding what these violent extremists are doing,” he said. “And that has been absolutely critical to their engagements up in the Borno State and into an emerging area of northwest Nigeria that we’re seeing al-Qaida starting to make some inroads in. He said intelligence sharing is vital and that the US will stay fully engaged with the Nigerian governmen...

  Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo state, says he will ensure the return of billions of the state funds allegedly looted under the late Abiola Ajimobi, his predecessor. Ajimobi died in June after failing to recover from COVID-19. Speaking at an event to kickstart the construction of the 21km Ajia-Airport-New Ife expressway road, in Ajia town, the governor said the retrieved funds would be used to develop the state’s infrastructure. He also addressed the criticisms trailing the announcement of N100bn bond issuance by the state. “Our administration means business. We will drastically reduce the infrastructure deficit in Oyo state in the shortest possible time. And this is how economies work: investors will only go where they can be assured of profits,” Taiwo Adisa, the governor’s chief press secretary, quoted him to have said. “In order to achieve this, we must strategise on how to increase our spending on infrastructure, because what we collect from Abuja every month from federal alloc...

Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, has said that the government spends up to N1m daily on each COVID-19 patient in Severe condition. Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Abayomi said the state may experience the peak of Coronavirus by August. According to Abayomi, the government spends averagely about N100,000 daily to treat a mild patient while it costs about N500,000 to N1,000,000 to treat a patient with a serious case. He said, “To treat mild to moderate case patients in our isolation centre is somewhere in the region of N100,000 per day. “That gives you an idea of the amount of money the government is spending on COVID-19 isolation facilities and COVID-19 care. “If you require high care or intensive care, that amount can go up to anything from N500,000 to even a million naira per day, depending on the complications of the case. “Do you need ventilation, dialysis, intravenous antibiotics; every case is different, so it is difficult to calculate exactly how ...

Oyo Set To Arrest, Prosecute People Without Facemask In Public Oyo state govt to begin arrest and prosecution of residents for failure to comply to use of facemask in public Residents of Oyo state who refuse to comply with the COVID-19 protocol of compulsory use of face mask in public places may be arrested and prosecuted from next month. A coordinator of enforcement from the state COVID-19 emergency operation centre and risk communication pillar, Mrs Kunmi Oladipo made this known today during an enforcement mission to Bodija market in Ibadan Mrs Oladipo explained that the state has recorded low level of compliance to the wearing of face mask in public places particularly markets hence the need to reemphasize the importance of the directives and ensure the people duly comply as the battle against coronavirus is still ongoing She also noted that the enforcement team would within one month sensitize, persuade and ensure compliance but if there was no appreciable improvement, the team mig...

The Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Daniel Pondei, has fainted while being questioned by the House of Representatives Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission . He fainted while he was being asked about the spending of the commission since he took over. Lawmakers investigating corruption allegations in the NDDC had on Friday summoned Pondei and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to appear before them today (Monday) as the country sought to understand how budgetary allocations to the agency had been spent. This is not the first time an appearance by the NDDC MD before the lawmakers will come to a halt under dramatic circumstances. The NDDC boss had walked out on the lawmakers on Thursday, last week, after accusing the Chairman of the Committee, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, of being an interested party in the investigation. He said as long as Tunji-Ojo presided over the investigation, the Commission would not get a fair hearin...

Oyo State Police Command on Friday arrested no fewer than three (3) persons in connection with the killing of five residents of Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State . Among those who were killed were an 18-year old teenager, Barakat Bello, a pregnant woman, Azeezat Shomuyiwa, 21-year-old student, Grace Oshiagwu, Olusayo Fagbemi and a five-year-old boy, identified as Mujeeb. Another 45-year-old woman, Adeola Bamidele and her daughter, Dolapo Bamidele, were also attacked in a failed attempted murder in June. But, the Police has arrested three persons in connection with the killings and the attacks com missioner of Police, Mr. Joe Nwachukwu Enwonwu, while parading the suspects at a press briefing in Ibadan on Friday, gave the names of the suspects as Sunday Sodipe, Adedokun Yinusa and Shehu Usman. Exhibits recovered from the suspects included one hand shovel, one techno mobile phone, one I phone Xmax and one Itel Phone. “The assailants troubling the settled water at Akinyele local ...

Suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, has taken a swipe at Nigeria's Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, accusing him of always interfering with the agency's investigations and working with others to strip it of its statutory powers. Magu in a 44-page document titled “RD: Alleged Case Of Conspiracy Enrichment Abuse Of Public Office And Other Infractions” written to the Justice Ayo Salami-led Presidential panel investigating allegations of corruption against him, said that the complaints against him were fabricated and targeted at tarnishing his image and the credibility of the EFCC. The 58-year-old, who was  released on Wednesday  after 10 days in detention following  his arrest  by a combined team of Department of State Services and policemen in Abuja on July 6 to answer questions from the panel, said that the entire saga was a well-orchestrated plot by his traducers to rubbish him for exposin...

Ibrahim Magu, the suspended acting chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has opened up on the allegations that he gave N4 billion to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. Magu described the claim as false and a calculated attempt to tarnish Osinbajo’s hard-earned reputation The suspended EFCC boss, who was freed from detention on Wednesday, equally denied giving the sum of N28 million to Femi Falana SAN, a human rights lawyer. Magu spoke in a petition signed by his lawyer, Wahab Kunle Shittu and addressed to the Chairman of the Presidential Investigations Panel, Justice Isa Ayo Salami. “Our client strongly denies this falsehood against the respected Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Our client has never given the sum of N4 billion or any sum at all to Prof. Yemi Osinbajo SAN, GCON, Vice President of Federal Republic of Nigeria as wrongly reported.” “This allegation is complete falsehood designed to tarnish the hard-earned reputation of the Vice President. ...

President Muhammadu Buhari has given minister of state for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, the go-ahead to continue with the plan of recruiting 774,000 Nigerians under the Extended Special Public Works progamme (SPW) despite protest by the National Assembly . The minister, who confirmed the development to journalists in Abuja yesterday, said he has the fresh instruction of Mr President to proceed with the recruitment exercise. In his words: “I have fresh instructions to proceed with the program as directed by him and to continue to supervise the program in accordance with the law. I stress it, in accordance with the law.” Meanwhile, when LEADERSHIP reached out to the Senate spokesman, Senator Ajibola Basiru, for a reaction to the development, he declined comment, saying he cannot exchange words with the junior minister of Labour and Employment in order not to disrespect the president. It is, however, expected that the Senate might formally react before the end of today through th...

Despite the federal government’s stance on 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), the Oyo state has said that the students would continue their preparation for the examination.  The state commissioner for education, science and technology, Olasunkanmi Olaleye, said that Governor Seyi Makinde-led government is still assessing the situation.  The commissioner, however, noted that the state’s schools remained open with students in SSS3 continuing preparation for WASSCE. The minister of education, Adamu Adamu, had on Wednesday, July 8, noted that the secondary school students preparing for their final examinations would not be able to return to school any time soon because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking with journalists in his office, on Thursday, July 9, on the latest federal government’s position, Olaleye said that the state was also watching out for the reaction of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to the development. While acknowledgin...

   Oyo state government has directed all applicants who applied for the Teaching Service Commission jobs to visit the website and upload the details of their credentials and personal data.   Mrs.  Grace Olabisi Oderinde, Permanent Secretary, Oyo State Post Primary Schools Service Commission (TESCOM) state this in a released post on social media on Thursday.  The exercise is for those who have obtained and submitted application forms in the on-going recruitment exercise. They are expected to do so between Monday, 13th and Saturday 18th July, 2020 for further processing of their applications. “Please note that ONLY applicants who have already filled and submitted the application forms are eligible for this exercise. “We hereby enjoin all applicants to take note of this development, as failure to comply will lead to forfeiture of such application,” the announcement reads.

   Federal Government has declared that secondary school students in Nigeria won’t participate in the forthcoming West African Examination Council(WAEC) examinations. The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu disclosed this to State House Correspondents on Wednesday after the week’s virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting. He also announced that there is no date for school resumption yet. He stated that he would prefer Nigerian students lose an academic year to expose them to dangers.

A total of 280 COVID-19 patients have been discharged in the last 24 hours, bringing Nigeria’s total number of recoveries to 12,108 . Fifteen patients were also confirmed to have died of COVID-19 complications across the country on Tuesday. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) confirmed the figures on Tuesday night, adding that 503 new infections were recorded in 20 states and the federal capital territory (FCT). With 79 deaths in the past week, a total of 669 people have now died of COVID-19 complications across the country. Lagos with 153 cases, Ondo with 73 and Edo with 46, topped the list of new infections confirmed on July 7. A total of 29,879 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have now been recorded in all states and the FCT. Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says it has finalised plans to work with China in order to facilitate better understanding of the source of the coronavirus. Tedros Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, made this known at a press briefin...

Adisa Logun, chief of staff to Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, governor of Kwara state, has died of COVID-19 complications. Rafiu Ajakaye, chief press secretary to the governor, broke the news on Tuesday night. He said Logun died hours after the result of his coronavirus test was released. “With total submission to the will of the Almighty Allah, we wish to announce the passing of the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Kwara State Aminu Adisa Logun (mni),” Ajakaye said in a statement. “Logun, an industrialist, a public intellectual, and an elder statesman, died Tuesday evening of complications from COVID-19. He died only a few hours after the test of his result returned positive. “The entire government and the people of Kwara State have lost an outstanding public servant who diligently served the state at various times, including as Chief of Staff to the Governor from June 7, 2019 until he returned to his Lord. “The Governor has declared a seven-day mourning in honour of the late Chief of Staff...