Calm has returned to Omi Adio in Ido Local Government area of Oyo State after three day fracas between members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, and members of Tippers Association. It would be recalled that the riot which started on Sunday night during a party at Omi Adio motor garage left about fifteen people severely injured. The riot was still continuing till Monday night, leaving about 10 vehicles travelling along the Ibadan- Abeokuta road damaged. Many traders and shop owners took advantage of the peaceful atmosphere to display their wares after days of fear and despair in the town.

The Justice Mohammed Mayaki-led Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal for Oyo State has fixed Tuesday, October 27 for judgment in a petition filed by Senator Rashidi Ladoja of Accord Party against the validity of the victory of Governor Abiola Ajimobi of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Ladoja is asking that the tribunal declare him winner of the April 11 election, claiming that he polled the highest number of lawful votes and with 25 per cent in 22 out of 33 local government areas, or alternatively order a rerun of the election. In his petition number EPT/IB/GOV/22/2015, the former governor, through his lawyer, Richard Ogunwole (SAN), averred that out of the 33 councils in the state, election only took place in 23 as well as in some units in the remaining 10 councils.

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He argued further that the election was marred by non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2010, over-voting, non-accreditation of voters, deliberate refusal to use the smart card readers, ballot stuffing, ballot paper and boxes snatching, multiple thumb-printing of ballot papers, among others.

Ladoja had tendered about 100 exhibits and called many witnesses to buttress the claims in his petition during the hearing of the petition.

But Governor Ajimobi, through his counsel, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), had wondered why Ladoja did not join former governor Adebayo Alao-Akala of the Labour Party as respondent in the petition since it was Alao-Akala that won in the five councils in Ogbomoso which results Ladoja also challenged.

In his written address, Olanipekun told the tribunal to dismiss the petition for being grossly incompetent, with no substantial evidence and argued that Ladoja was not qualified to stand for the election because he did not emerge through party primaries.

Ogunwole, in his own address, challenged Olanipekun to provide proof that Accord Party did not conduct governorship primary before producing Ladoja as its candidate.

After adoption of the addresses on September 30, chairman of the tribunal, Justice Mayaki, informed counsel that the date of judgment would be communicated to them.

Source

Thousands of delegates to this year’s regional convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses from Oyo, Ogun and Osun states will today converge on Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, for the third phase of the convention holding across 31 cities. About 30,000 delegates are expected to attend the spiritual programme at the Ifatumo expansive assembly hall in Ibadan. The regional convention, which enters its third week, will discuss the keys to family happiness. In a statement by the convention spokesman, Sunday Olukayode Oladele, the three-day programme will feature talks , interviews, demonstrations and experiences and there will be baptism of new members. Oladele further explained that the spiritual programme will include a stimulating examination of Jesus famous sermon on the mount that offers timeless advice to help parents to better use their time and resources to build a more secure and loving family environment.

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“Among others, there will be a two part drama entitled “for a certainty God made Him Lord and Christ” that will be featured on Friday and Sunday afternoon, “he said.

According to the convention spokesman, 267 conventions will be held in 18 different languages, including French and American sign languages, across 31 cities this year in Nigeria .

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) thursday took its on-going nationwide sensitisation campaign on consumer protection, bank verification number (BVN) and other developments in the banking system to Ibadan. Hundreds of bank customers were tutored by officials of the central bank on the CBN’s roles on development finance, consumers protection, BVN, cashless policy, wonder banks, among others. Officials of the CBN stormed three major markets in Ibadan:Bodija International market, Agbeni and Gbagi markets, where market men and women were sensitised on the central bank’sprogrammes at growing the economy. It also involved road shows in strategic locations in the city, in its efforts to develop safe, reliable and efficient financial institution.

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The‎ CBN fair had the  theme: “Promoting Financial stability and economic development‎.”

The talk show at the event had the Deputy Director in Charge of Consumer Protection, Mrs. Khadijah Kasim, and some top management staff of CBN in attendance. Kasim urged Nigerians to get their BVN before the deadline elapses.

“We have amongst us, people from Development Finance Department, who talked about how micro, small and medium enterprises are going to access credit and how they need to go about it. We are here with people from Shared Services and they talked about cashless policy. We are also here with Currency Operation Department, who lectured participants on how to handle the naira notes and different features that we need to identify on our currency notes that will make us differentiate a genuine currency note from a counterfeit note.
“We are also here with people from Banking and Payment Department, who have been telling us that before the timelapses, we must all register our biometrics. We should all get our BVN. They told the participants the benefits that we stand to derive if we engage in this very important exercise and many more,” she explained

Source

A Senior Magistrates’ Court in Iyaganku area of Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday, sentenced a 19-year-old man, Sunday Jimoh, to six months in prison for biting a woman on the breast. Jimoh was arraigned on a one-count charge of unlawful assault of a woman. The prosecutor, Corporal Kola Olaiya, told the court that Jimoh assaulted one woman, Meseheno Asukwo, by biting her right breast and face. The convict was asked by the court if he understood the charge as read from the First Information Report and he answered in the affirmative, then Mrs Munirat Giwa-Babalola, the Senior Magistrate, who did not give the convict an option of fine, said Jimoh was found guilty of the offence and should serve his sentence with hard labour.

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He said that the convict, of no fixed address went to a brothel on October 21 at about 8.00 p.m. in Ekotedo, Ibadan, to patronise Meseheno.

He added that “after having sex with Meseheno, trouble ensued because Jimoh refused to pay for the service rendered and, in the process, the convict bit the complainant on the right breast and on the face.”

According to the prosecutor, the offence is against the provisions of Section 355 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State 2000.

For the past 17 years, it has been a kind of graveyard silence for the three warring factions contending the title of Eze Ndigbo of Oyo State when the Igbo Community Development Association ‘crowned’ Dr. Alex Anozie. The three factions were led by Dr. Alex Anozie, Chief James Nduka Oramadike and Chief Alloy Obi. Each of them had been laying claim to the title and this has led to serious legal battles. Though, the battle for recognition subsided shortly before the 2015 general election as the  factions came together to drum up support for the former president at Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, all parties later withdrew into their nests, sharpened their swords and dusted their armour for fresh crisis.

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Of the three, Dr. Anozie has been brandishing a court judgment by Justice Mashud Abbas of Oyo State High Court on February 18, 2014 which recognised him as the rightful holder of the title. The court declared that Anozie is the subsisting Eze Ndigbo of Ibadanland and Oyo State, having been democratically elected and sworn-in into office by the Igbo Community Development Association in 1997 on the authority of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo in 2000.

As he approached the state High Court, he sought a declaration that all steps  taken by Chief Alloy Obi and his group who were claiming the title of Onyendu Ndigbo were contrary to Igbo customs and tradition, and the constitution of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and thereby null and void, and thereby sought an order of the court setting aside all acts and steps by the defendants towards selection and proposed installation of Chief Obi as the Onyendu Ndigbo of Ibadan and Oyo State.

In 2009, the crisis reached the crescendo as those who were sympathetic to Chief Obi allegedly came together and claimed to have removed Anozie. The claimant also sought an injunction restraining the defendants whether by themselves, their servants or agents, from installing Obi as Onyendu, and an order of injunction restraining Chief Obi from pronouncing or parading himself as the Onyendu Ndigbo of Ibadan and Oyo State.

However, after listening to the facts and circumstances of the case as presented by counsel to both concerned parties, the court identified some issues for determination.

The third issue identified for determination was whether Eze Anozie having been removed as the Ezendigbo of Ibadan and Oyo State in 2009 had the right to challenge the election and inauguration of Chief Obi as the Onyendu of Ibadan and Oyo State. All these issues were, however, resolved by the court in favour of Anozie, after which the judge went ahead to grant the relief sought by the claimant.

While granting the prayers of the claimant, the court ruled that there could only be one Onyendu Ndigbo for one community, and that the claimant is the one for Oyo, having been duly so proclaimed by the Igbo community in Oyo State in a communiqué issued on September 30, 2000.

The court also declared that all acts and steps taken towards the selection of Chief Obi were contrary to the Igbo customs and tradition and the constitution of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and therefore granted an order setting aside all the steps and acts which led to Obi’s purported selection as the Onyendu.

Finally, the court granted an injunction restraining the defendants, whether by themselves, their agents or servants from installing Obi as Onyendu of Ibadan and Oyo State, and the one restraining Obi from parading himself as such.

While speaking with Vanguard yesterday in a telephone interview, Dr. Anozie said as far as he is concerned, since the court has ordered the other groups to desist from parading themselves, anybody promoting them to flout the court judgment is not a friend of the country.

“Anybody I am referring to could be radio, television, government and even me. I learnt that the other side has appealed the judgment of the State High Court, they should wait for the outcome of the appeal. It should also be noted that when you appeal a judgment of a lower court, it doesn’t mean the judgment no longer subsists. It subsists until the appellate court says otherwise. The truth is bitter but it is good to tell the truth. Both of us in the crisis presented our evidences before the court and the court having weighed the evidences and pronounced me as the holder of the title,” he said.

As Anozie is slugging it out with his opponents in the state, the national leadership is also giving him grey hair. Recently, his camp accused Ohaneze national leadership of instigating crisis in the state. It called the attention of the national body to the fact that the court “ordered everything about the Igbo General Assembly (IGA), including their acts, steps taken by the group and the South-East Traditional Rulers null and void, and restrained Chief Aloy Obi from parading himself as the Onyendu Ndigbo of Ibadan and Oyo state.”.

His group alleged that the recent visit by “one person who called himself the Deputy President of the Ohaneze Worldwide, by name Ogochukwu Onyema”, who allegedly said something that eroded the court ruling, and claimed to have spoken on behalf of the Ohaneze national body.

“If it is true that they are the ones who sent one Ogochukwu Onyema to Ibadan on 15th of August, 2015, to come and say all what he had said, then they need to take caution . We are responsible peace-loving citizens of Nigeria who so much believe in the rule of law, and that is why we tolerated so many provocations since many years now, and we have continued to allow the judiciary to help us sort things out peacefully. Oyo state is peaceful and we want it to remain peaceful”.

“We are aware of the antics of the very person who has been the brain behind all these problems since all these years; he would want to drag everybody that matters into this controversy, including the South-East Traditional Rulers and Ohaneze national body, whom we expected to play a justified fatherly role in this issue.”, they said.

Vanguard learnt that the judgment of the High Court has been appealed and pending the determination of the suit, the last has not been heard about the crisis.

Source

The tempo of construction works on the Lagos-Ibadan express road is soon to increase with the completion of the “new enhanced design” of the road and re-dedication of all stakeholders to its completion on schedule. Giving this assurance while speaking with newsmen yesterday in Lagos, Mr. Hakeem Olopade, a director of Motorways Asset Limited, the project company partnering the Ministry of Works for the delivery of a fully enhanced Lagos-Ibadan Express Road, said the need for due process, enhancements to earlier design had largely been responsible for the slow pace of work on “the novel PPP-structured road.”

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Mr. Olopade, who is also the Executive Director, Projects, at The Infrastructure Bank, TIB, Federal Government’s fund arrangers for the N167 billion road project, said the road remained the most crucial highway in the transport sector and could not be abandoned by the government.

The executive director said that TIB had successfully raised the Tranche I of the financing of the project in line with the expectations of the Federal Government and other stakeholders, while the Tranche II was being arranged.

He added that the stakeholders would maximize efficiency gains in the construction phases of the project to ensure its timely completion.

The executive director disclosed that financial obligations and commitments were being kept to keep the contractors on site, while the stakeholders finalize the new designs and geometric drawings and necessary development studies were also being finalized in good time ahead of full construction work resumption soon.

Slow funds’ arrangements

He, however, admitted that arrangement of funds for the project was “slightly slowed down by legal conundrum” occasioned by the 2012 termination of the former concessionaire agreements on the road.

Mr. Olopade also said that “the rains have also recently affected full blown construction activities as some asphalt works have to be suspended till the dry season.”

He said all lost construction grounds would be covered by the two construction giants— Julius Berger Plc and Reynolds Construction Company, RCC— once the rains are over.

Julius Berger handles the six-lane Shagamu Interchange and Lagos end of the road, while RCC handles the 84-kilometre Shagamu-Ibadan (Ojoo interchange) part of the road.

The road is made up of a two-lane dual carriage of 7.3-metre in both directions: 2.75-metre of outer hard shoulder and 1.8-metre of inner hard shoulder and median.

When completed, it is expected to be fully equipped with world-standard amenities that will eliminate the current hazards associated with the road, which was commissioned in 1978.

Source

The Oyo State Commissioner of Police (CP), Adeleye Oyebade, has brokered a peace deal between farmers and Fulani herdsmen in the state, bringing them to a round table discussion. This is part of efforts to rid Oyo State of incessant clashes in Oke Ogun axis. After an exhaustive meeting where all stakeholders poured out their minds, far reaching resolutions were adopted to ensure peaceful co-existence in all identified flash points.

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Part of the resolutions include the establishment of alternate grazing zones outside farm settlements, government reserves and respect of already set boundaries by all concerned. The Police Commissioner warned that any infringement would attract dire consequences under the law. He added that all the 21 leaders, who signed the peace accord, are expected to ensure compliance among their people, or be held responsible for any breach of peace.

Source

OYO State House of Assembly has called on the Commissioner of Police, Leye Oyebade, to deploy competent crime bursting police unit to stem the tide of attacks on students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso. This followed the House’s consideration of a motion by member representing Ogbomoso North Constituency, Honourable Wunmi Oladeji, that students of LAUTECH had recently become targets of armed bandits who steal, terrorise, victimise and burgle their hostels. According to Oladeji, such reported cases which occurred between 7:00p.m. and 2:00a.m. had become commonplace to the extent that students were forced by the criminals to have carnal knowledge of one another.

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Consequently, the plenary urged the Commissioner of Police, Leye Oyebade, to deploy additional troops of crime bursting unit of the Police, Operation Burst, to complement the efforts of the community, LAUTECH authorities and vigilante groups.
Also, the House charged landlord associations and vigilante groups to put in place security measures while urging the students to entertain visitors with caution. To this end, select members of the House led by the Speaker, Honourable Micheal Adeyemo met with the state’s Commissioner of Police.
Meanwhile, Honourable Wunmi Oladeji has appreciated the efforts of former governor of Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, supporters and stalwarts of Labour Party and the people of Ogbomoso for her recent victory at the election tribunal where her victory at the April 11 polls was upheld.
In a related development, the protracted Community Service Punishment Bill, sponsored by Speaker, Honourable Micheal Adeyemo and member representing Akinyele II constituency, Honourable Bolaji Badmus, has passed the second reading stage at the state House of Assembly.

Source

Tension is high in the camps of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Accord Party (AP) in Oyo State as the governorship election tribunal delivers its judgment today. Following four months of legal fireworks, the tribunal will decide who won the April 11 election between former governor Rashidi Ladoja and Governor Abiola Ajimobi. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had returned Ajimobi as winner of the election. Ladoja, who contested on the platform of Accord, challenged the victory of Ajimobi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) before the tribunal. He joined the APC, the Resident Electoral Commissioner and INEC in the petition. The Director-General, Ladoja Campaign Organisation, Adeolu Adeleke, yesterday said:  “We are expecting the tribunal to declare Senator Rashidi Ladoja as the governor.” APC’s Director of Publicity and Strategy Wale Shadare said Governor Ajimobi and the party were sure of victory.

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He described Ladoja as a comedian, saying he raised so many issues, that he could not prove before the tribunal.

Ladoja, who claimed that he scored the highest number of votes in 22 of the 33 local government areas, asked the tribunal to declare him winner or order a rerun.

His lead counsel, Richard Ogunwole, contended that election took place in 23 local government areas and in some units in the remaining 10 local governments, adding that the election was fraught with non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2010.

He alleged that there were cases of non-accreditation of voters, deliberate refusal to use the smart card readers, over-voting, multiple thumb-printing of ballot papers, ballot stuffing, ballot paper and boxes snatching and so on.

He tendered close to 200 exhibits and called many witnesses during the hearing session.

Ajimobi ‘s counsel Wole Olanipekun told the tribunal that the petition was grossly incompetent and there was no substantial evidence in it, urging the panel to dismiss it.

According to him, Ladoja did not emerge Accord candidate through party primaries and so was not qualified to stand for the election.

But Ogunwole asked Olanipekun to prove his claim.

APC’s lead counsel Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) and lead counsel to the REC and INEC Yusuf Ali (SAN) defended the election result.

The tribunal, which adopted the addresses on September 30, told the counsel that the judgment day would be communicated to them.

The tribunal, which admitted many of the documents tendered by Ladoja in support of his petition, also dismissed the application of the petitioners, which sought to submit the forensic report of the recounting of ballot papers.

Ladoja challenged the dismissal at the application at Court of Appeal, but the appellate court, in its ruling on October 14, upheld the decision of the tribunal.

The tribunal also dismissed the objections raised by counsel to the respondents that the motion brought before the court by the appellant was not duly signed.

The tribunal held that the motion was duly signed by Ogunwole and therefore dismissed the objection.

The Commissioner of Police, Leye Oyebade, has warned anyone, who has no business at the tribunal and its environs to stay away, adding that anyone or group which foments trouble would be arrested and prosecuted.

“Enough well-equipped, uniformed and plain-clothed policemen, comprising operatives drawn from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), mobile police, Counter Terrorism Unit, Explosive Ordinance Department, State Intelligence Bureau, Dog Section and mounted troupe, will be deployed.

“The deployment has since commenced to forestall any breakdown of law and order. All the personnel deployed have been briefed. The Commissioner of Police will personally be in charge of the operations.”

Source

The Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Oyo State, south-west Nigeria, has upheld the election of Governor Abiola Ajimobi in the April 11 polls. The judgment was delivered on Tuesday by the Justice Mohammed Aliyu Mayaki-led election Petition Tribunal, amidst tight security around the premises of the sitting. The petition was filed by the Accord Party governorship flag bearer, Senator Rashidi Ladoja. Justice Mayaki in his ruling submitted that the petitioner failed to link the evidences before the Tribunal to specific portions of the petition. He declared that the petitioner lacked the ability to prove evidence before the Tribunal. According to him, all the witnesses invited by the petitioner presented contradictory evidence before the Tribunal.

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Meanwhile, various forms if celebrations have started across the state but the security agents are still on ground in strategic places to avoid any breakdown of law and order.

Security had been beefed up in areas surrounding the premises of the Iyaganku Magistrate Court in Ibadan, the state capital, where the proceedings would take place.

Security officials led by the state’s Commissioner of Police, Adeleye Oyebade, cordoned off all access roads to the court, while traffic control efforts were doubled due to the diversions.

Shops around the courts were also closed down, while everyone entering the court premises including lawyers were thoroughly searched.

Source

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan,Professor Isaac Adewole Folorunsho yesterday said that Nigeria loses about 800,000 children to preventable diseases yearly. Mr. Folorunsho, who was one of the ministerial nominees, said this during his screening at the National Assembly. The nominee from Osun State, said 40, 000 women and 800, 000 children die yearly in Nigeria during pregnancy or child birth but promised to turn things around for better if confirmed as Minister by the Senate and assigned the Health portfolio by President Muhamnadu Buhari.  He said: “If confirmed as a minister, I will serve with patriotism and commitment. We must make conscious decision to tackle the multifarious problems in the health sector, particularly women and infant mortality in the country.

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“About 40,000 women die during pregnancy or child birth every year. Cancer is a disease of the old age. Nigeria must prepare for potential epidemic in Nigeria. We should create platforms to educate women to say no to sex.

“The health care system is seriously underfunded. We have to recognize public health education in cancer in the country. We have to educate the citizenry on the preventive measures and curative measures too.

“40-50% of abortions carried out is because of deformed pregnancies. The life of the Nigerian girl is very important; they need proper education on unregulated pregnancies. “We have capable hands in the health system to tackle the challenges in the sector; we need to empower them through adequate training and retraining. We should also update our medical facilities to enable the medical workers function effectively. Upgraded medical facilities will also stop Nigerians rushing outside the country to seek medical help.”, he said.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Oyo State says the reluctance of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to clear the overgrown bushes on pipelines along its Right of Way is hindering effective surveillance of pipelines in the state. The new Oyo State Commandant of the NSCDC, John Adewoye, disclosed this on Wednesday during a courtesy visit to the Ibadan Zonal Office of the News Agency of Nigeria. Adewoye said the NSCDC had written the Ibadan Depot of the NNPC several letters urging the corporation to clear the bushes in order to aid its personnel in its task of surveillance. He said: “It is only the NNPC that can clear these places and they should do so because due to the bushes, we cannot see far ahead.

Two men – Opeyemi Oni and Adewale Salami – were on Wednesday charged before an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan for allegedly stealing 24 backup batteries valued at N1.2 million belonging to a service provider, MTN Nigeria. The duo – Oni, 22, and Salami, 42 – is standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing. The Prosecutor, Sergeant Sunday Ojeleye told the court that Salami, a security guard with MTN, conspired with Oni and another still at large to steal the batteries. He said the offences were committed on October 18 at Amuloko in Jobele area of Ibadan. “The accused stole the backup batteries, but were caught by the police.” The offences violated the provisions of Section 383, 390 (9) and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

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The accused pleaded not guilty.

In his ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Abdulateef Adebisi, granted the accused bail in the sum of N1 million each with two sureties each in like sum.

Adebisi said one of the sureties must be a landed property owner as part of the bail conditions.

Further hearing in the case was fixed for December 16.

Students of IMG Secondary School, Oke Ado, Ibadan, on Wednesday, went on rampage following the death of one of their colleagues allegedly flogged to death by a teacher. The student reportedly slumped and gave up the ghost as a result of the severe punishment from a teacher for arriving late to school. Invaluable properties of the school were destroyed by the students who took to protest before the members of Nigerian police force came to rescue the situation. The identity of the deceased could not be ascertained as at press time while policemen had cordoned off the area. An eye witnesses who claimed anonymity said “trouble started when the student arrived school after classes had commenced for the day, he reportedly told the teacher he came late due to illness.”

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“At that point,” the eye witness added, “the principal, who was passing by asked the teacher the cause of the discussion.”

The principal allegedly ordered the teacher to flog the student for coming late and in the process of the flogging, the student slumped. “All our efforts to save the student proved abortive,’’ the eyewitness added.

No fewer than 10 fully armed policemen were seen on surveillance at the premises of the school with three of their vehicles parked near the school gates.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Oyo State Police Command, Adekunle Ajisebutu said the Police is investigating the matter and promised to get back.

Most of the school furniture-chairs and tables, cabinets were destroyed by the protesting students and files, registers scattered around. Windows and doors of the staff room were also vandalized.

Teachers and administrative workers of the school were no where to be found as they took to their heels immediately the students started the protest.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Oyo State Police Command, Adekunle Ajisebutu said the Police is investigating the matter and promised to get back.

Source

In order to arrest the influx of Boko Haram members in Oyo State and check activities of criminals, who may be hiding under the pretense of being beggars, the state government has concluded arrangement to evacuate beggars in all major streets in Ibadan, the state capital, and other towns to check the menace of crime and other social problems. This was the resolution of the state Inter-Religious/ Inter Ethnic Committee held yesterday and presided over by deputy governor, Otunba Moses Adeyemo. The meeting, which had in attendance representatives of various ethnic groups and religions, including Alhaji Kunle Sanni (Muslim), Bishop Kehinde Stephen (Christian), Chief Fayemi Fakayode (Indigenous Faith) and Muktar Lukman (Hausa) resolved that “beggars should be taken off the streets of major cities as that violates the accepted norms and religious beliefs in the society.”

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Reading the communiqué on behalf of his colleagues at the Executive Chamber, he said having understood that begging contradicts the teachings of Islam, Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, had banned street begging, which he said had resulted in the influx of beggars into Oyo.

The communiqué stated further, “Proactive measures should be taken on the issue of Fulani Bororo and should not be limited to farmers/Fulani Bororo in the state.

“The committee views with great concern the rising incidence of rape and kidnapping in the state; even as we stand by the government in whatever measure taken to check the crises.

“A multi-dimensional approach should be applied by the government, looking at the relevant sociological perspectives to analyse the menace of beggars in Nigerian cities.”

Source

The Oyo State Ministry of Education has debunked a report that the pupil who died at the Ibadan Municipal Grammar School, Oke-Bola, was flogged to death by a teacher. On Wednesday, pupils of the school staged a protest which led to the destruction of some of the school’s valuables. The pupils alleged that the death of one of their colleagues in the school was as a result of severe punishment he was subjected to by a teacher on the order of the school principal for coming late to school. Permanent Secretary at the ministry, AderonkeMakanjuola, said in a release issued in Ibadan on Friday that the pupil actually died after he collapsed on his way to the class. She said, “The attention of the Oyo State Ministry of Education has been drawn to a false media report that a pupil of IMG was beaten to death in the school premises by a teacher on Wednesday.

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“It is pertinent to call the attention of parents, education stakeholders and the general public to the unfortunate media report which was mis-informing and lacking in substance as the deceased, according to his classmates and teachers, rushed to the class upon hearing of a roll-call of attendees and collapsed.

“The teachers rushed immediately to revive him and when he did not respond to the first aid, he was taken straight to the nearest hospital where unfortunately, he was pronounced dead.”

Makanjuola added that after receiving the news, officials of the ministry and the management of the school immediately paid a visit to the parents of the pupil, adding that no teacher beat the pupil to death. She also called on pupils to desist from taking the laws into their own hands.

Chairman of the Parents Teachers Association in the state, JimohAbiodun, told our correspondent that after investigation by the PTA, it was discovered that the deceased was not beaten to death while commiserating with the parents over the loss.

Source

Within few minutes of settling down in a secluded place – off the campus – where Bimbola (not real name) agreed to narrate her ordeal to our correspondent last Monday, the dry white handkerchief she was holding became soaked with tears. She tried to stop weeping for a while, but she couldn’t resist it, and the more her friend – who followed her to the meeting – tried to calm her down, the more she struggled to hold back her tears. What she passed through in August was painful, unimaginable and dehumanising. In fact, she might not be able to forget that night in her life. Ever since the incident, everything about her has changed, according to her friend. In the night of August 13, 2015 – around 12 midnight – she said she and her roommate had returned from a night reading class in preparation for their forthcoming exam in November, locked their room and were about to sleep when they heard their hostel mates jamming their doors, screaming and walking up the hostel stairs.

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Before they knew what was happening, the men were at their door and expectedly, they forced the door open. “Come out now or we will kill you,” she recalled what the men told her and her roommate, and with fear and trembling, the girls did their bidding.

Three hefty fearful-looking men, clad in black polos and jeans, armed with guns, machetes and axes had stormed their hostel – located in the Under G Area of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State – and demanded that all the students, both male and female, should gather in one room.

While one of the hoodlums stayed with the students, pointing guns at them should they ‘misbehave,’ the other two locked the entrance to the hostel, ransacked all rooms one after the other, stole the students’ laptops, money, debit cards, tablets and mobile phones.

But even after stealing all their property, the robbers were not done. The next command they gave the students was what Bimbola has not yet got over with.

She narrated, “They raped some girls in our presence, but not only that, they asked us to start having sex with ourselves. They called from among us a guy and a girl and asked them to have sex with themselves, right in everybody’s presence. They threatened to use their weapons on us if we didn’t cooperate. Then they asked all of us to strip naked. Since it was in the night, most of us ladies already had only our night gowns on, while most of the guys were just putting on boxers. They said we should all be naked. When they were satisfied, they called another pair of students to do the same thing and told everybody to watch.

“For about three hours, they dehumanised us, humiliated us. Unfortunately, nobody in the next hostel knew what was going on; if anyone knew, they would have helped us to call the police or the Student Union Government officials.”

But what was more pathetic about Bimbola’s story was that she didn’t just witness the whole action; she was also asked to have sex with a guy she never dated. “Everything happened like it was a dream. They pointed at a guy I knew as my junior and asked him to do ‘it’ with me. When I refused, they slapped me and I fell. I had no option than to do it. I looked at my roommate and she was already shedding tears for me. How humiliated I was!” she cried.

She further told our correspondent, “It was not a night to remember. I wish I could erase it from my memory. My friend and I returned to the hostel that night after reading in the school because our exam is fast approaching. If I knew something like that would happen, I would have stayed in the school till the morning, but I needed to prepare for the following day’s work. I had just finished having a shower when my roommate and I observed something was wrong. There was no light, so we couldn’t see properly, but we observed that our hostel mates were all jamming their doors at some men’s command.

“They cramped all of us in one of the rooms upstairs and we were all frightened. My parents are not yet aware of this incident and I don’t wish to share it with anyone again. I only agreed to speak to you because my friend here encouraged me to and I feel something should be done by the authorities concerned to stop this barbarism. I know I’ll be fine soon.”

Since July when they resumed for the semester, the students of LAUTECH have been witnessing robbery attacks and rape by the same set of unknown men – who call themselves ‘Three MOPOLs’ each time they barge into their victims’ hostels.

Though the institution is non-residential, individuals and private organisations provide accommodation for the students around the university.

The Welfare Officer of the Student Union Government of the institution, Ridwan Okedara, said he could not count the number of calls he had received ever since the incident started occurring in July up till about two weeks ago. He said it was unfortunate that the hoodlums had yet to be apprehended.

He said, “I’ve received calls in the past four months almost every passing night about this incident. Victims and eyewitnesses usually say the robbers were always three and they would tell them they were the ‘Three MOPOLS,’ but we are not sure if they are not even more than that. For instance, there were some nights when I received calls that the robbers were operating in the Adenike Area (a popular students’ residential area near the school) and I would quickly call our security officers to go to the said hostel, but few minutes later, I would receive a call that they were operating somewhere else.

“Before the security people could get there, the robbers would have left and we would hear they had started operating somewhere else. We don’t know their tactics yet. From what we have heard from eyewitnesses, they would enter a hostel, pretend as if they were looking for somebody and before the students knew it, they would threaten them with guns and machetes and ask all of them to be inside one particular room after collecting their phones, laptops and money. They ask the students to strip off their clothes – both male and female, then ask them to start having sex with themselves. They could call a male from say 200 Level and ask him to have sex with say a 400 Level female student.

“These robbers rape our students and then ask the students to have sex with themselves. We’ve heard a case when the robbers used white handkerchiefs to wipe the private parts of the students after the act. We are also suspecting ritualism here. They go to hostels anytime from 8pm to 1am and from eyewitnesses’ accounts, there was usually no light anytime the hoodlums carried out their operation.”

This is exactly what another victim of robbery in September by the same ‘Three MOPOLs’ said, who spoke with Saturday PUNCH on the condition of anonymity at a restaurant outside the school premises.

Meanwhile, Okedara has information about some of the hostels where the incidents [rape and robbery] had taken place, but pleaded to be kept secret to avoid undue stigmatisation of the victims, which is perhaps understandable.

The other victim who spoke with our correspondent said, “It was very dark and there was no light to see their faces when they came to our hostel. They told us they were the ‘Three MOPOLS,’ and mere looking at them, we could not imagine how they were able to gain entry into our hostel and ordering all of us to go inside one room. We were told to take off our clothes and they raped some of the girls. They didn’t rape me and they didn’t ask me to have sex with anyone, but they stole my laptop and phone. It was traumatic. It was like experiencing hell that night.”

The President of the school’s chapter of the Women Against Rape, Sexual Harassment and Sexual Exploitation, who is a nursing student in the institution and also the Vice-President, the National Union of Campus Journalists, Israel Fawole, said the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and the national body of the Women Against Rape organisation had already been informed about the issue and that they had taken interest in the matter.

He further said some of the victims had been taken in for rehabilitation at undisclosed locations due to the trauma they had experienced.

He said, “Not all of them are willing to open up, but some have come forward and they are being taken care of. Rape is an epidemic and it must stop. Some of the victims are undergoing rehabilitation now. Most of them are shy to talk about it, but recently, we organised a peace walk against rape, where female students had to protest against the incident.

“It is so unfortunate that unwanted visitors would barge in, threaten our students with axes and guns, ask the opposite sexes to start having sex in their presence and other students. They collect the students’ property, rape them and still tell them to commit sex with one another. We are tired of this mess.”

Forced into lesbianism

Another terrible aspect about the incident is when the hoodlums ordered female students whom they had taken hostage to make love among themselves, thereby practically forcing them to commit an act of lesbianism. An official of the institution, with whom some of the victims and eyewitnesses had shared their ordeal with, told Saturday PUNCH.

The official, who pleaded anonymity, said some female students confided in him that they were asked to have sex with other female students during the robbery operations.

“I believe it is more than what meets the eyes. This is not an ordinary robbery. Normal robbers take what they want and leave. They would not ask students to all be in one room, tell them to go unclad, rape the female ones and still tell their victims to have sex with one another. It is a disgusting thing and as a parent myself, I have been unhappy since I started hearing the bad experiences of some of our students,” he said.

Bimbola had also told our correspondent that the robbers called a female student and asked her to have sex with another female student in the night they attacked them.

When students become vigilantes

This situation could perhaps be ascribed to poor insecurity for the students of the institution, with some of the students blaming the situation on both the police (for allegedly extorting and not protecting them) and the school management (for not intervening on time when the crisis started).

For several weeks, the students became their own security personnels. While the male ones carried planks to scare off the ‘unseen’ criminals and burned tyres in the night, the female students cheered up their male colleagues.

The SUG Welfare Officer, Okedara, said, “The insecurity in the school is unfortunate. This started a week after we resumed for this semester. On the first day of our resumption, we had an issue with the police, which led to a serious misunderstanding. The SUG had a confrontation with the police then. They used to patrol hostels and in the process did extort our students, according to victims. They would stop students on the road and probably if they saw expensive phones or tablets on them, they would ask where they got them from. Their mentality is that those using ‘big’ phones are ‘Yahoo-yahoo’ people (internet fraudsters).

“We got several reports from our students on this issue and we couldn’t take it anymore. The president of the SUG challenged them and this led to a fracas. We went to the station at Owode to report to the DPO, but they attacked us. We went to the Soun (the traditional ruler) of Ogbomoso and the resolution there was that if we didn’t want them to be coming again, they wouldn’t come because we really didn’t see any impact they were making then apart from extorting students. We wanted them to stop coming because of the bad eggs among them, but the Commissioner for Police has intervened in the matter.

“Few days after this confrontation with the police, the incident became rampant and this has turned almost all of us to vigilantes. We stay late at night, keeping vigil and burning tyres, just to scare off the perpetrators of this crime. When we started hearing of this act, all students usually went to bed early, but we found out that it was giving these ‘three MOPOLs’ an advantage. We sensitised ourselves and we decided to stay late at nights.”

The President of the SUG of the institution, Olatunde Bakare, said he had been personally leading a team of student vigilantes since July due to the alleged nonchalant attitude of the police and the school management previously.

He said, “It is a bad experience and it saddens my heart that something this disgusting is happening to our students. When it started, we thought it was something we could curb on our own, so we took to the streets. I led a group of students who became watchmen overnight. We constituted a security committee on our own to be our own security personnels.

“We have both the male and female students keeping vigil. We don’t carry guns, but only burn tyres and we hold planks, just to let the robbers know we are not sleeping. We stay up till 3am and this has affected students, especially those who have lectures early in the morning, but we cannot rest until we apprehend these criminals. The exam is starting next month and we hope this will not happen again.

“We found out that anytime the operation was going on in, say Area A, we would get a call that it was going on in Area B. We would have apprehended the criminals, but for the diversion in reports. We couldn’t involve the police initially because the bad eggs there were just extorting our students. The aspect of ritualism is more disgusting to me.

“Because the school is non-residential, it has exposed us to many hazards. We protested that the school management should do something and we told them we want the school to become residential so that there could be more security. We believe if the management could work on our resolution in reviewing the edict which established the school, it could become residential. Hostels could be built on the campus so that the school security would help a lot in protecting our students.”

Anger, protests

Bakare, like other students Saturday PUNCH spoke with, also said protests had been staged against the school management on the issue because rather than the school looking deeply into the issue and responding appropriately, they responded that because it is a non-residential institution, they had the responsibility of protecting students only when they were on the campus and not when in their hostels.

The response of the management did not in any way sound sensible to the students.

“The management’s claim was that the school is non-residential, but when it became unbearable, they called a meeting of all the stakeholders and they have started doing something. The DSS, SARS, OPC and local vigilantes too are now with us. We called on the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company and they too have improved on supplying electricity to hostels. If those criminals try it again, we will apprehend them,” Bakare boasted.

‘We’re beefing up security’

The Public Relations Officer of the institution, Mr. Lekan Fadeyi, said the insinuation that the university management didn’t do anything on the rape and robbery incidents was far from the truth. He said the school had, before the incidents, teamed up with landlords of students’ hostels in hiring security officials to patrol the hostels.

He, however, said it was a challenge providing security for the over 4,000 students of the institution, being a non-residential one.

He said, “We seek the understanding of the students to know the challenge facing the management. The edict establishing the school does not in the first place allow us to have hostels. Be that as it may, we would like members of the public to know that long before the recent ugly happenings, there was a standing security committee of the university – members include representatives of all security agencies and I can state categorically that all the main security arms of the government have served diligently well in this committee.

“Even in the most recent incidents, the management summoned a meeting of all landlords, agents and students to brainstorm on ways of increasing security awareness and combating crime. It went further to call an emergency meeting of the university governing council.

“As parents themselves, the members of the council frowned at the appalling situation and granted all requests of the management aimed at putting immediate stop to any crime against the students. The university has long before now been funding a joint patrol of security in areas popularly inhabited by its students and the management is not willing to stop at anything when it comes to guaranteeing the safety of lives and property of our students.”

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