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How We Were Forced To Pay N50m Ramson – Ibarapa Community

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INDIGENES of Igangan community in Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State, yesterday recounted how they had been forced to pay about N50 million in ransom for several cases of kidnapping in the area.

Beyond being victims of the ugly incident of kidnapping, the residents of Ibarapa also recounted regular experience of invasion of their farms and raping of their women by herders.

Lawal Akeem, Secretary of Igangan Development Advocates, among other indigenes of the community, made these known when a delegation of the Oyo State government and the Commissioner of Police, Mrs Ngozi Onadeko, paid an on-the-spot visit to troubled communities in Ibarapa and Oke-Ogun areas of the state.

Akeem particularly accused the Seriki Fulani of Igangan, Alhaji Saliu Abdukadir, for his complicity in different cases of criminality in Ibarapa zone.

On his part, the caretaker chairman of Ibarapa North-West Local Council Development Area, Okediji Olusegun, corroborated the allegations levelled against the Seriki Fulani of Igangan, saying that the traditional ruler had been fingered in the series of security challenges in the area many times.

Taiwo Adeagbo A resident of the community, said no fewer than 15 women had been raped in recent weeks. Also a member of the state House of Assembly, Honourable Peter Ojedokun, lamented that the peace in Ibarapaland was punctuated when herders began attacking members of the community on their farms, kidnapping persons and committing crimes.

The meeting had two Fulani leaders in attendance, the Seriki Fulani of Igbo Ora, Alhaji Idris Abubakar and the Seriki Fulani of Eruwa, Alhaji Sule Mohammed, who asked for forgiveness from those offended, adding that they were ready to facilitate a peaceful coexistence in Ibarapaland.

Addressing the gathering of traditional rulers, government officials and Fulani leaders in Igangan, Commissioner of Police, Onadeko, sued for peaceful coexistence among the group.

While calling for the cooperation of all and sundry with the police, she promised a conclusive investigation into cases brought to her notice.

Onadeko said: “We have come to assess and listen to you over the incident that happened. I want to appeal to every one of us to be calm and ensure there is peace. If there is no peace in the community, there won’t be growth and development.

“I want to appeal to the youth. We have listened and they have interpreted all your complaints and I want to say you should not spoil your case by using force. We are a new team. Bring out all the cases you have, put them in an orderly manner and we will make sure that justice is done.

“So, I want to enjoin all of you to be peaceful and live with one another in a peaceful manner. If we live in peace in this community, we should be able to identify kidnappers, robbers and rapists. It does not matter where you come from – whether you are Igbo, Yoruba or Hausa. Actually, we have the good and bad ones. Criminality is not only ascribed to a particular ethnic group, it cuts across all the ethnic groups.”

Also speaking at Igangan, a retired commissioner of police, Fatai Owoseni, said the state government was working closely with the police to fish out criminal elements.

READ ALSO:Why Buhari refuses to sack service chiefs – Presidency

He disclosed that 51 suspected criminals linked to kidnapping and other crimes committed in Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa areas had already been arrested, adding that while some had been charged to court, others would soon be arraigned. Owoseni therefore appealed to community leaders, youths and Hausa-Fulani residents to eschew violence and live in peace.

Speaking further on governments effort in addressing the recent challenges in the region, the retired police commissioner said: “There are a lot of narratives that have not been given out. Everybody believes that kidnapping and assassination had taken place in Igangan and it seems the government was not doing anything.

“Truth is, 51 suspects have been in detention for various offences that border on this kidnapping. Arrests were made. Some have been arraigned in court. Some are awaiting trial. For some, investigation is still ongoing, which we made them know. Everyone will learn lessons, especially the police officer that was accused of complicity in some of these cases.

“The CP has given the assurance that every victim will get justice and all the allegations they have made as to the Seriki colluding with criminals will be looked into.”

The delegation, thereafter visited Ago Are and Tede communities, which got engulfed in communal clashes over the weekend. It held a peace parleys at the Ago Are town hall and the palace of the Onitede of Tede, Oba Rauf Oladoyin where Onadeko appealed for peace between the two communities, as she promised to host a peace meeting in her office before the end of the week.

READ ALSO:Inauguration of Lagos-Ibadan railway project on hold as 60 workers contract Covid-19

The Olugbon of Orile Igbon and deputy chairman of Oyo State Council of Traditional Rulers, Oba Francis Olusola Alao, who was also in Igangan, Tede and Ago Are, appealed for peace, insisting that the state could only develop in an atmosphere of peaceful coexistence.

Other traditional rulers at the Igangan peace parley included the Asigangan of Igangan, a representative of the Eleruwa, the Olu of Igbo Ora and others from adjoining communities in Ibarapaland.

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Black Saturday As 10 Confirmed Dead, Others Injured In Abuja Church Stampede

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By John Michael Ojo

No less than ten individuals have been confirmed dead following a stampede which took place in an event organized by Holy Trinity Catholic Church, situated in the Maitama area of Abuja on Saturday morning.

It was stated that the church had intended to distribute rice as palliative to the people during the event before the tragedic incident took place.

While confirming the development, in a statement signed by the Abuja Police Command Force Spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, the Command said ten individuals died, while eight others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

The statement reads: “This tragic event, which happened at about 6:30 am, led to a stampede that claimed the lives of ten (10) individuals, including four (4) children, and left eight (8) others with varying degrees of injuries. Four (4) of the injured have been treated and discharged, while the remaining victims are receiving medical care.

‘’To prevent such unfortunate incidents in the future, the Command hereby directs that all organizations, religious bodies, groups, or individuals planning any public event, charitable activity, or large gathering in the FCT must notify the Police Command in advance. This will allow the deployment of adequate security measures to ensure public safety and prevent avoidable tragedies.

“Failure to comply with this directive will result in the organizers being held liable for any incident or loss of life resulting from their negligence.

’The FCT Police Command remains committed to safeguarding lives and property in the Territory. Members of the public are encouraged to collaborate with the Police by adhering to these guidelines and promptly reporting emergencies through the FCT Control Room via 0803 200 3913 or 0806 032 1234”

In a similar vein, an unspecified number of people mostly woman have reportedly lost their lives in Okija community of Anambra state in a stampede.

New Times gathered that the stampede was said to have occurred on Saturday morning during an event for the distribution of rice organized by Obi Jackson Foundation.

Saturday’s stampede comes barely 72 hours after a similar occurrence took place in a funfair event organized by a former queen of Ooni of Ife in Ibadan, Oyo State capital where nearly 40 children have been confirmed dead by the state authorities.

The repeated stampede is a testament to the current economic hardship being faced by the masses as a result of the economic policies of President Tinubu in recent times.

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Ogun Information Ministry Defends N2b Budget Proposal, Pledges More Service 

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Kayode Akinmade at the defence of the budget proposal.

Ogun State Ministry of Information and Strategy says it will continue to deploy all communication strategies to serve all organs of government in the promotion of government policies and programmes through a two-way communication channel between the people and the government.

The Special Adviser to the State Governor on Media and Communications, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, gave the assurance on Friday, while defending the ministry’s budget proposal for next year before the members of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, led by Hon. Musefiu Lamidi at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

Akinmade reassured the Assembly that the ministry was cognisant of the principles of separation of powers, and would continue to render the necessary assistance to all arms of government in publicising their activities.

He noted that the next fiscal year would see to the utilisation of more strategies to mobilize the people for positive development, stressing that more reawakening of the people towards embracing the State’s core values alongside branding to leverage the successes achieved by the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration’s development projects would also be explored.

To this end, the ministry proposed a total budget expenditure of N2.023 billion for the next fiscal year, out of which N328 million would go for capital, N1.23 billion for overhead and the remaining N461million would take care of personnel.

Responding, the House Committee members sought more collaborative efforts from the ministry in mobilising the people towards government laudable policies and programmes.

Other agencies that had their budget proposals defended before the State lawmakers were the State Television (OGTV) and its State Broadcasting Corporation counterpart (OGBC), as well as the State Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

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Yuletide: Abiodun Tasks New Police Commissioner On Security

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L-R: Deputy Commissioner of Police (Administration), Sagir Ismail; Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo; Governor Dapo Abiodun; Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), Bolanle Muritala, and the Deputy Commissioner of Police (CID), Bode Ojajuni, during the visit of Ogunlowo as the newly appointed Commissioner of Police to the Governor at his office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, on Thursday.

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has called on security agencies to design and deploy workable strategies that would ensure adequate protection of life and property during this Christmas period.

The governor made the call when he received the new Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, Mr. Lanre Ogunlowo, who paid him a courtesy call in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

Abiodun commended the security agencies for ensuring peace and tranquillity, noting, however, that unscrupulous people are bound to take advantage of the period to cause security breaches in the state.

He said: “As we approach the yuletide period, we all know that this period comes with its challenges. Those who are bent on carrying out nefarious activities, the get-rich-quick schemes, will also get a bit desperate, so I want to admonish you to please develop or design strategies to ensure that this yuletide period is peaceful for everyone, allowing us to celebrate and enjoy with our eyes closed and not have to worry about the breakdown of law and order.

“I want to enjoin your colleagues to please join hands with you the way they had cooperated with your predecessor so that together we can continue to build the future of Ogun State to achieve the future of our dreams.”

According to Abiodun, the state is unique in terms of geographical location as it shares borders with four states and an international border, noting that this has brought about an influx of people to work and attend educational institutions, thereby raising numerous security concerns for the government.

The governor, while informing the new State police chief about the steps taken to secure the State and its people, said his administration reinvigorated the State Security Trust Fund to provide modern equipment and logistics to the security agencies, noting that this had helped make Ogun one of the most peaceful states in the country.

He emphasized the importance of inter-agency synergy, which he said had contributed to the peace being enjoyed in the state.

Prince Abiodun maintained that the State’s position as number three in Internally Generated Revenue would not have been possible in an atmosphere of insecurity.

“Like they say, you cannot have any socio-economic development in an atmosphere of insecurity. You can build all the roads, all the airports and seaports, but if there is an atmosphere of insecurity, or even if there is a perception of insecurity, nobody will come to that State,” the governor noted.

The governor pointed out the issue of cultism, which is prevalent in some parts of the state, urging the new police chief to liaise with his colleagues from other agencies to find a final solution to it.

Governor Abiodun commended the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for deploying a highly intelligent and professionally sound officer to the state and equipping him with two Armoured Personnel Carriers, adding that the new CP’s practical training and qualifications have prepared him for the position.

“I want to thank the Inspector General of Police who has found you worthy of this deployment. I want to thank him because he remains one of our proud illustrious sons who has not let us down. Ogun State is known for exporting such human capital, and he is one of those we exported to the federal government, and he is up to our expectations,” he added.

While pledging to do all it takes to keep the State peaceful, the State helmsman assured that his administration would continue to support the State Police Command and other security agencies to maintain peace and order across the State at all times.

Speaking earlier, the new Commissioner of Police, Mr. Lanre Ogunlowo, said he is in the State to add value to what he met on the ground, assuring that with the support of the state government, cooperation from sister security agencies, and the additional Armoured Personnel Carriers given by the Inspector General of Police, he would work to secure the people and gain their trust.

“I had the privilege of working in the tactical intelligence unit of the Nigeria Police Force in the past, and I have a good understanding of the situation regarding cultism. As I mentioned when the governor was speaking to me, the Inspector General of Police graciously approved logistics, including Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), for Ogun State when I was coming. They would soon be here.

“I have a good team on the ground. As I said, I will improve on what I met on the ground. Before I left yesterday, I had a conversation with our anti-cultism unit, and we have some strategies in place.

“What I can assure you is that we will do all that is needed to address this issue, especially at a time like this. We will engage all stakeholders; we know we can’t do it alone, but we’ve got the wherewithal to deal with it,” he said.

Ogunlowo pleaded with the people to support the police and other security agencies in achieving their mandates, adding, “Let’s enjoy the season, let’s be careful, let’s respect the rights of others. We want peace; criminals should stay away and let the people of Ogun State enjoy the moment. We will be on the ground for that.”

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