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BIG STORY

Three Die As Lagos Ministry, Police, Hoodlums Demolish 200 Buildings

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Several landlords and residents of the Oke-Ira community, in the Igbogbo Bayeku Local Council Development Area of Lagos State have been rendered homeless after officials of the State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development alongside security agents and hoodlums demolished about 200 buildings.

Report has it that three landlords died from shock during the 10-hour demolition exercise,.

No fewer than eight landlords, who were also traumatised by the incident, were said to be recuperating in different hospitals.

It was gathered that normal activities were ongoing when the government team stormed the community with three bulldozers around 10am, when some of the landlords and residents had gone to their workplaces.

Without presenting a demolition order, the available landlords and residents claimed that the government officials, led by one Engineer Omotoso, claimed that they were acting on the orders of the state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The affected members of the community explained that as the demolition was ongoing, the hoodlums in the team prevented them from retrieving their property.

Akinkunmi Olapade, a landlord in the community, said hundreds of family members were displaced after the demolition.

He said, “The value of my demolished building is N25m. Around 10am, I discovered that some government officials came into the community with policemen, soldiers, hoodlums, and some bulldozers from Lagos State Town Planning.

“I met with the policemen and I was directed to one Engineer Omotoso, who said they were in the community for demolition. Over 100 buildings were demolished on New Life Estate, and the remaining 100 buildings were demolished outside the estate, but still on the Oke Ira Family land.

“They never gave us any notice of demolition; they just came in and started demolishing buildings. As I speak to you, I sleep in my car every day. I left my family at a friend’s place; the room could not contain all of us, so I told them I would find somewhere else to sleep. I have been sleeping in the car.

“The hoodlums injured some of the landlords who were hospitalised. We have recorded two deaths because as they demolished their houses in their presence, they collapsed and were rushed to hospitals, where they died. One of the dead landlords was Mr Omotayo.”

Another landlord, Olakunle Dankuwo, who said his property was worth N27m, demanded justice.

He said, “This incident has set a lot of landlords back; some of the landlords are in shock as they collected loans to acquire the property and now everything is gone.

“I had my family members and an aged grandma living with me. I relocated them to my brother’s place as I am still trying to sort out accommodation. They did not allow us to pick anything from the house despite my grandma begging the hoodlums.

“The hoodlums said the order that they gave them was that nobody should be allowed to take out anything. They demanded a N20,000 bribe to allow us to pick something. I could not stand it when they were demolishing my property; I had to leave the premises.”

Another witness, Shakiru Saidu, said the hoodlums were led by one Germani.

The 48-year-old said, “The incident happened on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. What happened was that three caterpillars, two Black Marias conveying policemen and three buses conveying officials of the Ministry of Physical Planning and about 200 suspected cultists and hoodlums from Ketu, led by a man identified as Germani, came to Oke Ira community, Igbogbo LCDA.

“The person that led the government team is one Engineer Omotoso, while Germani led the hoodlums. So, when they got there, the cultists and hoodlums spread to the community and started threatening and harassing people with guns. If they see anyone recording any video of the demolition, they threaten and send the person away with guns.

“So, the bulldozers went in and started demolishing buildings without any court order or notice. I have a completed duplex that I built there and they demolished it. I called the head of the land grabbers’ committee in the Ministry of Justice, but he said it was a directive from the governor and he knew nothing about it and that it was only the governor that could stop the demolition.”

The Lagos State indigene explained that the Oke Ira community was not under government acquisition, but a traditional ruler sold land that belonged to the Oke Ira family to a company and the family members challenged the certificate of occupancy that the company was parading over the land.

He said, “Along the line, the company tried to ratify the land it bought, but the argument of the family members was that the company had taken beyond what was ratified for them. So, the matter between the family members and the company is currently in the Ikorodu High Court.

“It was the company that dragged the Oke Ira family members to court, but we don’t know. Maybe they were looking for a shortcut, because the matter is still in court. The company instigated the government officials, the police and the hoodlums to invade the community and demolish buildings.

“Over 200 houses were demolished with bulldozers. They pulled down buildings, including my duplex that I spent about N40m to build. Three people have died because of this demolition that started around 10am; they ended it around 7pm.”

The Adeboruwa of Igbogbo Kingdom, Oba Semiudeen Kasali, during a visit to the community, appealed for calm as he assured the victims of justice.

He said, “I know there is misdeed in what happened, but God will show us the way. To those that have died, it won’t be in vain. God will let them rest in peace. I have the belief that God’s grace is not limited to a place; God will not forsake you.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said he was not aware of the incident.

“But for us to release any policeman to follow people that are going for demolition, then there must be a court order that was duly served,” he added.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, who confirmed the demolition, denied the involvement of hoodlums.

He said, “It is true; they went to demolish the place because it is government land. So, they went to chase them away from the place; they had no right to be there. The government does not move around with thugs and miscreants.”

BIG STORY

Lagos State Government To Concession Red And Blue Line Rails For Sustainability, Loan Repayment

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The Lagos State Government has announced plans to concession the operations of the Red and Blue Line rail systems to the private sector in order to ensure their sustainability and repay loans taken for the rail projects.

This announcement was made by the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, during a recent TVC News interview, where he discussed the measures being implemented to ensure the continued viability of the state’s rail systems.

Osiyemi explained that the concessioning process would involve transferring the operations of the rail systems to private sector players for a defined period. This approach is intended to ensure the continued operation and effective management of the rail projects.

“The ultimate game is for all our rail systems we’ve done—that is, the Red Line and Blue Line—there is going to be some concessionairing with the private sector for a period of time to ensure sustainability and continuity,” he stated.

He added, “The concessioning would help pay back the loans taken for the rail projects.”

The commissioner emphasized that the concessioning strategy aims to ensure efficient operations and long-term financial sustainability, in line with the state’s vision for a world-class transportation network.

  • More Insight

Osiyemi further highlighted the substantial financial and technical challenges involved in operating rail systems, describing them as capital-intensive projects that require significant resources and specialized expertise.

To tackle these challenges and build local capacity, he noted that the Lagos State Government has enlisted foreign partners to temporarily manage the operations of the trains.

These partners are expected to not only ensure smooth operations during their tenure but also transfer critical skills to Nigerian personnel. The plan includes a structured training program lasting one to two years, after which the management of the rail systems will be fully handed over to local operators.

“What we have done is we have consulted foreign partners who, of course, would run these trains for a particular period of time and train our people—that is, transfer of skills.”

“They will train our people for one to two years, then hand over for our own management,” Osiyemi explained.

  • Things You Should Know

The Lagos State Government, under its Lagos Strategic Transport Master Plan, has set out an ambitious vision to develop a network of rail systems across the state.

Currently, only the first phases of the Red Line and Blue Line rail systems have been completed, with passenger services already in operation.

The Blue Line is a 27km electric rail line designed for sustainable operations. Its first phase, covering 13km from Lagos Marina to Mile 2, was completed in 2023 and began commercial operations in September, carrying over 2 million passengers to date.

The Red Line, spanning 37km from Agbado in Ogun State to Oyingbo in Lagos, operates on diesel. Its first phase, a 27km stretch, includes eight strategically located stations: Agbado, Iju, Agege, Ikeja, Oshodi, Mushin, Yaba, and Oyingbo.

The construction of the second phases of both the Red Line and Blue Line rail systems is being managed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), which also oversees the operation of the trains.

Beyond the Red and Blue Lines, the state has plans for additional rail systems, including the 68km Green Line (Lekki Free Trade Zone to Marina), the 85.7km Purple Line (Redemption Camp to Ojo), the 48km Orange Line (Ikeja CBD to Agbowa), and the Yellow Line, all aimed at enhancing the state’s transportation network.

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BIG STORY

Lagos Commissioner Tokunbo Wahab Condoles With Families Of Epe Accident Victims

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Condolence Message from the Honourable Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Lagos State, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab.

I am deeply saddened by the tragic incident that occurred in our community, Epe, claiming the lives of two promising young adults, a dedicated tricycle driver, and leaving several other people injured. This heartbreaking accident has left our hearts heavy, as we mourn the loss of these young souls who were full of hope and dreams, and an industrious individual who worked tirelessly for his livelihood.

As a member of this community, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families and friends affected by this terrible loss. I can only imagine the pain you must feel, and I want you to know that you are not alone in this moment of grief.

Let us honor the memories of these individuals by advocating for safety and awareness on our roads. As we move forward, may we find comfort in community and strength in one another. May their souls rest in peace, and may their families find solace and healing in the days to come.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.

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BIG STORY

JUST IN: Monday Okpebholo Sworn In As Edo State Governor

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Monday Okpebholo, a serving senator, has been sworn in as the governor of Edo State.

Okpebholo took his oath of office at about 1pm on Tuesday during the inauguration ceremony in Benin, the state capital.

As the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Okpebholo won the September 21 off-cycle governorship election in the state.

He polled 291,667 votes to defeat Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who came second with 247,274 votes.

Olumide Akpata, the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), came third with 22,763 votes.

Dennis Idahosa was also sworn in as the deputy governor of Edo.

Dignitaries, including Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, chair of the governors’ forum; Philip Shaibu, reinstated deputy governor of Edo; and other governors from the party, were present as Okpebholo took the oath of office.

The new governor later rode in an open-top van around the stadium, acknowledging cheers from supporters.

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