Crime & Court
Ajimobi Vows to Prosecute Perpetrators of Bodija Crisis
OYO state governor, Sen Abiola Ajimobi on Friday vowed that the perpetrators of the Bodija Market crisis will be prosecuted and made to rehabilitate the burnt police station.
The Governor, who visited the market, the burnt police station and the Central Abattoir at Amosun in company of the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abiodun Odude, reiterated that his administration will not tolerate hooliganism and thuggery, saying that government will not fold its hands and allow some dissidents to destroy its seven years labour of restoring peace and safety in the state.
https://iso.keq.mybluehost.me/oyo-butchers-commend-govt-as-ibadan-central-abattoir-commences-operation-2/
Governor Ajimobi condoled with the traders and people at the Bodija Market, assuring that the government may reopen the market within the next 48hrs after due consultation with the security agencies, the community and market leaders and the leaders of the local government area.
The governor stated that only an enemy of development and progress will condemn the action of the government to relocate the butchers to the central abattoir, explaining that the management of the Central Abattoir is being handled by the 11 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Ibadan and its Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), the National Butchers Union of Nigeria (NUBN), the Oyo State Government and the Public Private Partnership arrangement.
He said that the Central Abattoir at Amosun village is an ultra-modern facility equipped with state – of – the art facility, pipe borne water, animal health centre, police post among others, noting that the health condition of the general public is one of the primary concerns of the government and proper hygiene should be put in place in an environment where meat is being produced for millions of people.
The governor said that the Bodija Abattoir was closed last year due to the poor hygienic situation of the abattoir as the cow dung was left unpacked for four months, saying, “the market was closed in 2017 for three days because of the sanitation implications. There was unhealthy treatment of cattle blood, offensive odours, unhygienic spread of meat, air pollution due to gaseous emission from the cow dung and the government was concerned about the likely epidemic disease from flies spread.
“We are talking about the general health of the people and not just the minute section in the market as every citizen of the state has one or two things to do with the Bodija Market. The decision to have a central abattoir for the Ibadan butchers predated my administration and we saw the need to relocate the butchers as well. We started discussing with them since five years ago before we eventually relocated them this year.
“We had series of stakeholders’ meeting and signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the smooth relocation. All parties agreed to our resolutions and that is why I am surprised that we still have dissidents fomenting trouble. We are always in the habit of politicizing issues in the state. Majority of the butchers have moved and we have received commendations from their union, National Union of Butchers of Nigeria.
“Let me assure you that the perpetrators of this violence will not go unpunished and they will rehabilitate the police station. People must be allowed to pay for their deeds. We did not destroy anybody’s stall or shop but government’s slaughter slabs. Or is there any crime in destroying what is not useful for the government again? We have not stopped them from selling meat at the Bodija market but no more slaughtering of cow there due to the poor hygienic condition. There was also resistance when butchers were moved from Gege to Bodija, so the resistance is not new but the crisis and violence were unnecessary.
“We are working at reopening the market at the earliest possible time as we do not want to deprive our people their means of livelihood. But, we must be assured that adequate measures are put in place to forestall the repeat of the crisis. We may likely open the market in the next 48hours,” Governor Ajimobi said.
Speaking, the Babaloja of Bodjia Market, Alhaji Sumaila Jimoh appreciated the governor for the swift action in quenching the crisis, appealing that Governor Ajimobi should temper justice with mercy and reopen the market.
Alhaji Jimoh said that the Bodija market people are peace loving but some butchers were always fomenting trouble even with the traders at the market, commending that the government has done well by relocating the butchers to the central abattoir at Amosun Village.
The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered an interim forfeiture of substantial sums of money and numerous properties associated with Mr. Godwin Emefiele, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The order, granted by Justice Yellim Bogoro on Thursday, May 23, 2024, followed an ex-parte application by counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Bilkisu Buhari.
“I have listened to the submission of the applicant’s counsel and also perused the motion just moved, together with the affidavit in support,” stated Justice Bogoro in her ruling. “I find merit in the application and same is hereby granted as prayed.”
The court directed the publication of the order in a national daily to allow interested parties to present their case before the final forfeiture decision, scheduled for July 2.
The sums of $4,719,054 and N830,875,611, along with various properties, were forfeited to the Federal Government. These funds were reportedly warehoused in First Bank, Titan Bank, and Zenith Bank, and operated by several entities including Omoile Anita Joy, Deep Blue Energy Service Limited, and others.
Among the forfeited properties are 94 units of an 11-floor building under construction in Ikoyi, Lagos; an 11-floor office space at Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1, Lagos; and various parcels of land and completed properties across Lagos, Texas, and Chevron Nigeria.
The EFCC sought the interim forfeiture under various legal provisions, including Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 14, 2006, and Section 44(2)(b) of the Constitution, as well as the inherent jurisdiction of the court.
The anti-graft agency specifically requested the court for interim orders forfeiting the funds and properties suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities and directing the publication of the order in a national newspaper for interested parties to show cause why final forfeiture should not be made in favor of the Federal Government.
Police operatives in Lagos State have arrested a man, Chimereze Chinedu, for allegedly defrauding a Thai to the tune of $216,000 and N30m respectively.
Disclosing this in a statement on Tuesday via his X handle, the state’s Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said the suspect promised to supply his victim with 37 tricycles which he valued at $216,000.
“In a move to further extort money from his victim, the suspect was said to have forged letters from the State Criminal Investigation Department to lure his victim into believing that the tricycles were seized by the police,” Hundeyin added.
According to Hundeyin, the suspect allegedly used the forged documents to obtain another sum of N30m from the victim to secure the release of the seized tricycles.
“Chimereze defrauded his victim under the pretence of selling 37 tricycles to her. He further expanded his fraudulent activity by forging letters of the State Criminal Investigative Department, Lagos showing that the tricycles were seized by the police and further extorted N30m from the victim to purportedly secure the release of the tricycles,” the police spokesman said.
The state police command said the “suspect was arrested on May 10, 2024, in Enugu State” following weeks of investigation and a collaboration with officials of the International Criminal Police Organisation.
The police spokesperson explained that efforts were going on to apprehend other accomplices of the suspect while stressing the command’s commitment to combating internet fraud.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has taken into custody a woman accused of misusing the Nigerian currency, the naira, in Gombe State.
Janty Emmanuel, the suspect, was apprehended on Monday, by operatives from the EFCC’s Gombe Zonal Command, according to a statement released on Tuesday by the commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale.
“She was arrested on Monday, May 20, 2024, following intelligence that spotted her spraying Naira notes at a social event,” the statement clarified.
“After her arrest, the suspect was presented with a video showing her dancing at G-Connect, Tumfure, Gombe State, and spraying Naira notes of N1000 denomination.
“She confessed to the offense. She will be arraigned in court once investigations are concluded.”
The EFCC has recently heightened its efforts to combat individuals who abuse the local currency, including high-profile individuals.
One such individual is Bobrisky, who received a six-month prison sentence without the option of a fine on April 12 for misusing the naira.
Also, the commission pursued socialite Pascal Okechukwu, also known as Cubana Chief Priest, over alleged naira abuse, although the matter was resolved out of court.
-
Politics1 week agoMay 29: Tinubu’s reforms, policies will soon yield positive results – Oseni
-
Opinion1 week ago
Kano’s midnight kingdom | By Lasisi Olagunju
-
Education1 day ago
Oyo: Oseni Launches Scholarship Scheme for Ibarapa East/Ido Students {APPLY NOW}
-
National Issues1 week ago
NDLEA Reports 75% Decrease in Nigerians Jailed for Drug Trafficking in Thailand
