..accepts 11 recommendations out of 32, rejects 1, modifies 6

The Lagos State Government has released its White Paper on the report by the EndSARS panel that probed the Lekki toll gate incident of October 20, 2020.

The Babajide Sanwo-Olu government rejected the panel’s report that nine persons were killed at the toll gate when soldiers stormed the protest ground to disperse the young protesters.

In the 22 page White Paper released on Tuesday night, the government described the claim of the panel that nine persons were shot dead as “assumptions and speculations”.

In a short statement, Gboyega Akoshile, the Chief Press Secretary to Sanwo-Olu, said one of the recommendations of the panel was rejected.

In the statement titled, ‘Highlight of the Lagos Government White Paper On The Lekki Incident Investigation’, he said, “Out of the 32 Recommendations made by the JPI in its Report of 15th November 2021, Government accepted eleven, rejected one and accepted six with modifications.

“Fourteen recommendations fall outside the powers of the Lagos State Government and will be forwarded to the Federal Government for consideration. Let the healing begin.”

A leaked version of the panel report had indicted the Nigerian Army and the Lagos State Government in the killing of unarmed protesters and a subsequent cover-up of the incident at the Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, 2020.

But after the panel submitted its findings to Governor Sanwo-Olu, he set up a four-member committee led by the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), giving them two weeks to raise the White Paper on the reports submitted by the panel.

Musician Folarin Falana (Falz) and comedian Debo Adebayo (Mr Marcaroni) have rejected the invitation of Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to a peace walk for “the healing of Lagos”.

The duo, in their separate reactions, rejected the invitation.

Mr Marcaroni said genuine peacemaking should begin by first implementing the recommendations of the panel. Falz, on his part, described the ‘walk of peace’ as a joke and a very disrespectful one at that.

But Segun Awosanya popularly known as Segalink said Sanwo-Olu has shown leadership with his mature response to the current controversy.

Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday, had invited some known faces of the EndSARS protest in the State in October 2020 to a peace walk slated for December.

The Governor, in his speech, specifically invited Folarin Falana (Falz), Debo Adebayo (Mr. Marcaroni), Dele Farotimi, Temitope Majekodunmi, Segun Awosanya (Segalink), Adedotun (Just Detoun), Seun Kuti, Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu and Commander of Rapid Response Squad (RRS), CSP Yinka Egbeyemi and others to join him in the “historic march for our dear Lagos.”

Reacting, Mr. Macaroni said: “I humbly decline the invitation of Mr Governor. The Government themselves set up a panel. The panel has made recommendations.

“I believe that genuine peacemaking will begin by first implementing the recommendations of the panel. Then we can begin to trust the government.

“Mr Governor has said it in his speech that to be a Centre of Excellence, we have to be a Center of Truth. Before there can be healing, the government has to be sincere. There must be acceptance of wrongdoings and willingness to correct them.

“The last walk wey I do, na so dem bundle me, strip me naked, brutalize and dehumanize me. I no carry gun, I no carry weapon. As dem dey beat me, dem dey ask why I dey disturb Mr Governor. Now dem say make I come do walk. For another round of beating?“Abeg o. If I wan lose weight, I go go gym. Same peaceful Walk wey Nigerian Youths do wey dem kill them? Some are still in prison.. Some have gone into hiding. Their lives no longer theirs all because we decided to walk against police brutality.”

Falz said: “This suggestion of a ‘walk of peace’ sounds like a joke and a very disrespectful one at that. People were murdered in cold blood and absolutely no iota of justice has been served more than a year after. How can there be peace without justice?

“In this same speech, you said ‘To be a smart city, we first must be a just one. Remember the young Nigerians that had their lives snatched away by weapons wielded by our own Armed Forces? You want to sweep that under the carpet? Is that how to establish a just city? #ENDSARS

“Young Nigerians, till today, are still being constantly harassed and extorted by police officers!! You were awfully quiet about that. Or are you not aware? #ENDSARS.”

Segalink, in his reaction, said: “Mr Governor @jidesanwoolu has shown leadership with this matured response and we hope the WhitePaper will mirror his sentiment. We all want closure, Justice and healing for our society. The experience of 20th October 2020 must never be repeated. #EndImpunity.”

The Nation

Twelve public secondary schools in Ogun State have been shut down ahead of the first term vacation beginning next week Friday, December 10.

The Commissioner for Education, Prof Abayomi Arigbabu who disclosed this on Tuesday, said the state government shut down the schools earlier than others to stem the tide of recent violence rocking some secondary schools in the state.

The affected schools were asked to proceed on vacation from Tuesday, November 30 after finishing the first term examination, though, the remaining secondary schools are to close for the term next week Friday, December 10.

Prof Arigbabu disclosed that the affected schools were deemed flashpoints of reported unruly behaviour of some of their students against either the teachers or some other neighbouring schools. He added that the measure was one of the steps taken by the state government to arrest the drift.

The Commissioner in a statement addressed to the Zonal Education officers said "the underlisted hotspot schools should commence their compulsory holiday with effect from Tuesday, 30th November, 2021. Kindly ensure the compliance of this in your different zones".

The schools asked to proceed on early vacation are Egba High School, Asero, Asero High School, Itori Comprehensive High Schoo, Itori, Ofada Community Comprehensive High School, Ofada, Lafenwa High School, Lafenwa, Abeokuta.

Others are Egba Owode Grammar School, Owode, Community Comprehensive High School, Ijoun, Unity High School,Kajola Iboro,Ado-odo Ota and Eyini Comprehensive High School, Iboro

The rest are Government Science & Technical College, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, Lisabi Grammar School, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta and Methodist High School, Arigbajo.

It would be recalled that students of some secondary schools in the state had recently engaged in cult-related violence against students of neighbouring secondary schools or their teachers for enforcing discipline.

In one of such occurrences, the Divisional Police Officer(DPO) for Adatan Police Division, who had rushed to an incident involving students of Egba High School Asero, and Asero High School - both in Abeokuta to maintain law and order with his team, had a part of his head broken with stone.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has re-arrested a former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode.

He was again, arrested on Tuesday after he attended a court proceeding at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos following investigations into alleged document falsification.

Sources close to him, however, stated that he was not arrested but re-invited by the anti-graft agency.

The EFCC is charging Fani-Kayode alongside a former Minister of State for Finance, Nenandi Usman and also Yusuf Danjuma, a former Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) and a company, Jointrust Dimensions Nigeria Ltd on 17 counts of laundering N4.6 billion naira which is said to have contravened the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012.

Nigerian Newstrack gathered that when the case was mentioned at the court on Tuesday, all defendants were present, while the prosecution,  Rotimi Oyedepo did not oppose the letter of the first defence counsel who was absent.

He rather informed the court that the prosecution was glad that the court had figured out from its record that the second defendant (Fani Kayode) had sought repeated excuses from the court.

Oyedepo told the court that the prosecution had recently discovered that all letters sent by Fani-Kayode were fake.

At this point, the court stopped the prosecutor on the grounds that it was a matter the agency ought to trash out before the court acted on the letters to grant an adjournment.

Subsequently, drama unfolded after the case was adjourned until January 24, 2022, and the defendants stepped out of court.

While Fani-Kayode was still at the corridor of the court, an EFCC investigator, Mr Shehu Shuaibu walked up to him alongside the prosecutor and after a brief chat, the defendant entered his vehicle and followed the EFCC operatives to their office.

An operative who confirmed at the time of filing this report, says that Fani-Kayode was re-arrested and is in their custody for questioning over the false documents.

In the charge, the defendants were alleged to have committed the offences between January and March 2015.

This comes just days after the anti-graft agency had arrested Fani Kayode. But in a post on Facebook, the former Minister denied being arrested, stating that he was only invited and was later “granted bail on self-recognition”.

Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court, Ilorin has  convicted a 29-year-old ex-convict, Joshua Ajayi Oluwatobi for impersonating the Dean Student Affairs, University of Ilorin and others to defraud unsuspecting students seeking to pay school fees and hostel accommodation.

He convicted and sentenced him to 28 years Imprisonment.

The Ilorin Zonal Command of the EFCC, had on Tuesday, November 23, 2021 arraigned Oluwatobi on a four-count charge bordering on fraud, attempt to defraud and impersonation, to which he pleaded guilty.

Oluwatobi, had sometime in June 2020 been convicted by Justice Sikiru Oyinloye of the Kwara State High Court for similar offence.

After spending time at Mandala Correctional Centre, the convict went back to crime, and was again arrested by operatives of the EFCC and brought before the court.

Following the plea of guilt entered by the defendant, prosecuting counsel, Andrew Akoja, presented a witness, one Musa Muhmmad Sani, an operative of the EFCC, through whom he reviewed the facts of the case and presented documents to establish the culpability of the defendant in the crime.

Akoja urged the court to consider the uncontroverted evidence of the prosecution before it, the admittance of guilt by the defendant and convict him as charged.

Delivering judgment, Justice Abdulgafar said the material evidence placed before the court has shown that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

The judge pronounced Joshua guilty of the four counts and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment on each count, to run concurrently. The court also ordered the convict to restitute his victims.

..invites youths for peace walk

"Lagos State deserves true healing after the disturbances that trailed last year’s protests against police brutality", Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said on Tuesday.

He said only sustenance of harmony can guarantee the realisation of aspirations of all residents.

Sanwo-Olu spoke in a live broadcast held at the State House, Alausa, on the State Government’s position on the recommendations of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry on EndSARS submitted a fortnight ago.

The Governor said the State currently faced the hard choice of restoring harmony or doing itself a great harm, urging residents to join his administration in strengthening harmony and put the State on the path of peace.

Sanwo-Olu asked residents to reject those fueling anarchy and suspicion, clinging to unsubstantiated belief that carried no weight of verifiable evidence, while choosing emotion over facts.

His administration, he said, is ready to facilitate better communication between the youths and the State’s security machinery to resolve issues before they become intractable.

He said he would be leading ‘A Walk for Peace’ in December to herald the healing of the land, extending an open invitation to the youths, members of the diplomatic corps, civil society groups, students and the media as well as other stakeholders to join him in the Peace Walk. 

The Governor specifically invited Folarin Falana (Falz), Debo Adebayo (Mr. Marcaroni), Dele Farotimi, Temitope Majekodunmi, Segun Awosanya (Segalinks), Adedotun (Just Detoun), Seun Kuti, Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu and Commander of Rapid Response Squad (RRS), CSP Yinka Egbeyemi and others to join him in the “historic march for our dear Lagos.”

He said: “Nobody will build this city for us. Let us show the world who we are. We are Lagosians. A people of great renown, driven by the irrepressible spirit of Lagos. It is a testimony to our strength and resilience as a people that, despite the huge losses incurred because of these terrible incidents, we have bounced back, with our economy as vibrant and virile as ever. I have no doubt whatsoever that our prospects are as bright as ever and the best lies ahead of Lagos State and Nigeria.

“We will make it easier for our young people to initiate formal complaints on human rights violations through the Ministry of Justice. We will also improve the coordination between the state government and the security agencies, including the police and the military.

In this vein, we are studying how to improve security policy formulation, information sharing, and clarifying rules of engagement in times of social unrest.

“Just as we have established a mechanism to compensate all those who lost homes, businesses, and livelihoods to the violent destruction of October 2020, we shall also establish a detailed procedure for the just compensation of citizens with verified claims of police brutality committed during the protests.”

Speaking on last year's EndSARS protests and the events that followed, especially the hijack of the protests by hoodlums, which led to the destruction of public and private property worth billions of naira, the Governor said the Government, the youth, protesters, the Police and other security agencies have learned the appropriate lessons from the EndSARS protests, particularly the Lekki Tollgate incident, with a view to averting any recurrence to the detriment of the State.

On mixed reactions following the release of the report of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry, Sanwo-Olu said his administration remained committed to the process that would bring a closure to a “painful episode” in the history of the State.

The much-expected White Paper, the Governor pledged, will be issued later in the day.

He recalled that the panel was originally inaugurated to investigate allegations of police brutality committed by the disbanded SARS and in the aftermath of what happened on October 20, 2020, he decided to expand the mandate to include investigating what happened at the Lekki Tollgate that night.

He said: “As a matter of good faith and a sincere commitment to uncovering the truth, we constituted a panel of individuals that we believed were independent, credible, and representative of the various stakeholder communities interested in the movement against police brutality.

“Apart from the chairman of the panel being a respected retired jurist, various stakeholders including the youths, #EndSARS protesters, the police and civil society groups were represented on the panel. I am sure no member of the panel can claim that the State Government made any attempt to influence them in any way throughout the duration of its sitting.

“While I commend the panel for undertaking its task to the best of its abilities, it is however regrettable that the panel’s work and the leakage of an unauthorised version of the report have generated much tension. Sadly, a deep wound has been reopened.

“The heated exchanges among various shades of opinion on the report have unfortunately put us all at the risk of missing the larger picture; the fact that what we all seek in common is a land in which we are all safe and secure, law enforcement agents are trusted, and justice is guaranteed for all.

“We have no intention to engage in histrionics or further inflame passion on a matter that has generated intense interest and controversy nationally and internationally. Our decisions and actions will be based entirely on the law, the weight of evidence, and unblemished respect for the truth.”

Governor Sanwo-Olu, while expressing his administration’s commitment to end human rights abuses, said he has never been in any doubt as to the sincerity, patriotism and noble motivations of both organisers of EndSARS protests and those who participated in the movement to see an end to the human rights abuses by the now disbanded Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS).

He said it is also on record that the Federal Government accepted all the demands of the protesters, including the immediate scrapping of SARS, adding that the National Economic Council (NEC) also recommended the establishment of State Panels of Inquiry into cases of police brutality and the Lagos State Government was the first to set up its own panel.  

He said: “I can boldly say that no State took the advocacy for police reforms and justice in the face of documented brutality more seriously than we did in Lagos. We have so far paid N420 million in compensation to victims of police brutality, in line with the recommendations of the panel.

“My good people of Lagos State, you will also recall that in solidarity with the protesters, I joined our youths at various points during the demonstrations, particularly at the Lekki Tollgate and Alausa.   

“I received the charter of demands of the protesters and promised to pass them on to the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari.

“I kept my word and passed on the demands to the President, who promised to act promptly on the issues raised.  However, perhaps as a result of entrenched lack of trust between the government and the governed over the years, the protesters responded to the government's concessions with skepticism, and the demonstrations continued, even growing in intensity.

“Regrettably, what had been very well organized and peaceful protests were subsequently hijacked in different parts of the country, particularly in Lagos. In the ensuing descent into anarchy, many of our compatriots were caught up in the violence. Several policemen were killed. Public and private property, including critical infrastructure, were set on fire, leading to losses estimated at several billions of naira.

“At that point, I imposed a curfew to restore normalcy in Lagos. We had only one goal in mind: the maintenance of law and order, and the protection of citizens going about their daily lives. This is more than a legal duty. It is a sacred obligation under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which I swore to uphold,” the governor explained.

Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has confirmed that 10 persons were killed and 252 inmates escaped during the attack by gunmen on Sunday on the Jos Medium Security Custodial Centre.

Spokesperson of NCoS, Francis Enobore, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

He said the dead include a worker at the facility and nine inmates. They were killed during a gun battle after the invading gunmen were trapped inside the centre.

Enobore confirmed that 10 of the escaped inmates have so far been recaptured but 252 remain at large.

“Sadly, one of the NCoS Armed Squad personnel paid the supreme price in the encounter while nine inmates also lost their lives. Another staff of the Service was shot in the hand and six inmates were also injured in the attack.

“Controller-General of Corrections, Haliru Nababa, condoled with the family and friends of the gallant officer who paid the ultimate price in the encounter, promising that the death will not be in vain as all the perpetrators will be hunted and made to face the full wrath of the law.

“He thanked the officers and men of other security agencies for the assistance in bringing the situation under control and assured members of the public that the safety of inmates including their care and support, will continue to be a top priority in his administration,” Mr Enobore said.

Prior to the attack, the Jos Medium Security Custodial Centre had 1,060 inmates constituting 560 pre-trial detainees and 500 convicts.

PT

There was palpable tension in Aramoko-Ekiti, Ekiti West Local Government area of Ekiti State yesterday, as a policeman and a Special Marshall of the Federal Road Safety Corps, were shot dead on Monday evening when armed robbers attacked a branch of an old generation bank located in the community.

This was the second time the bank would be robbed, having experienced a similar attack in 2010.

An eyewitness revealed to journalists in Ado Ekiti yesterday that the armed robbers, who entered the town via Igede-Ado Ekiti road got to the bank after working hours and blew off the main door with an explosive mechanism suspected to be dynamite to gain entry into the banking hall.

The source added that before the gun-wielding robbers entered the bank, they opened fire on the police officer on guard while the  Special Marshall, who was in his private vehicle ran into the barricade mounted by the armed robbers to prevent external forces from the axis and was shot in the process.

According to the eyewitness, the effect of the dynamite threw the town into pandemonium as houses and shops in the area were affected.

After the operation, which lasted about 30 minutes, the armed robbers escaped through the newly constructed Erijiyan Ikogosi road.

Spokesman of Ekiti State Police Command, Sunday Abutu, confirmed that two persons were killed in the robbery attack.

“It was an attempted robbery, but they were repelled. Even our men and officers of Rapid Response Squad gave them a hot chase and recovered two vehicles they used for the operation.

“The policeman they killed was outside the bank while the FRSC special marshall was also shot at a distance to the bank.

“The police have swung into action and we will make sure that we get to the root of this matter”.

Vanguard

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun yesterday presented a N350.74 billion 2022 Appropriation Bill to the State House of Assembly. Also, Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum has presented an appropriation bill of N267.9 billion to the State House of Assembly for 2022 fiscal year. The Ogun State budget christened, “Budget of Restoration,” has a projection of N170 billion for physical capital projects, which represented an increase of N10 billion from the current 2021 budget.

According to a statement, the recurrent expenditure, was expected to take N154 billion billion out of which personnel cost would gulp N75 billion with N51 billion earmarked for overhead expenses, just as N28 billion was set aside for debt service obligations.

The governor said N7.7 billion would be set aside for stabilisation fund to insulate and position the state towards unprecedented activities or economic shocks. Speaking on the budget sourcing, Abiodun was quoted to have said N56.30 billion was expected to be sourced through internally Generated Revenue, while the revenue targets of other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) was put at N96.87 billion.

He added that N73.01 billion was being expected from the Federation Account, while the sum of N124.56 billion would be sourced from capital receipts.

On his part, Zulum announced a total of N267.9 billion with N172.5 billion for capital expenditure and N95.4 billion for recurrent expenditure. With “Hope for Post-Conflict Stability” as it title, Zulum said the budget aims to fast track ongoing reconstruction of destroyed communities for safe and dignified resettlement of IDPs, as well as the provision of livelihood and social support to citizens. The budget also aims to fund completion of all ongoing capital projects.

He said the budget will be financed from anticipated recurrent revenue of N113.8 billion made of FAAC allocation and increased IGR, and capital receipts of N154 billion made up of loans and grants. He said many plans would be pursued in the education sector which include the establishment of new technical schools, reconstruction and reopening of some schools destroyed by insurgents, and the establishment of what he called “Centres of Excellence” which will involve identifying two existing secondary schools in each of Borno’s three Senatorial zones and transforming the six schools to become of international standards.

Meanwhile, giving a sectorial breakdown of the expenditure, the governor Abiodun of Ogun State said N56.07 billion was being allocated for education sector, representing 16 per cent, while N35.07 billion would cater for the health sector, with the housing and community development sector sharing N28.65 billion, just as N15.21 billion was voted for Agriculture and Industry. According to him, infrastructure would gulp N77.77 billion, representing 22 per cent of the total budget, with Recreation, Culture and Religion to share N6.32 billion, just as N22.097 billion would be spent on social protection.

He further assured that the 2022 proposed budget would contain only implementable and critical projects, which when completed, would significantly address current structural challenges in the State economy, improve the business environment and accelerate economic recovery.

“In 2022, we will continue to accord priority attention to the completion of existing projects; projects with revenue potential; projects consistent with priorities articulated in the State Economic Development Strategy and projects that can enhance employment generation,” the governor stated. In his remarks, the Speaker of the State Assembly Hon. Olakunle Oluomo, lauded the various infrastructural projects put in place by the governor across the three senatorial districts.

Oluomo gave assurance of continuous mutual interdependence between the legislature and other arms of government towards achieving more monumental development in all facets of the state’s economy.

He noted that a speedy and thorough legislative process would be conducted on the proposed budget with a view to sustaining the tradition of its passage on record time to comply with the January to December cycle in line with international financial standard. The speaker on behalf of lawmakers sought for the release of their annual constituency project intervention fund to enable them execute projects in their respective constituency projects.

He equally sought for the release of the severance allowance of members who served in the 8th Assembly..

For Bornu, N23.8 billion will be for reconstruction of communities destroyed by insurgents, as well as the rehabilitation and resettlement of victims.

Zulum revealed plans for construction of resettlement houses in Abadam, Guzamala, Kukawa, Kwaya Kusar, Dikwa, Malamfatori, Logumane, Gajibo, Gudumbali, Dalwa, Darajamal, Ngurosoye, Kirawa, Maiwa, Ashigasha among others. The health and human services got N24.2 billion, Ministry of Finance received N30.4 billion to sustain prompt payment of salaries and gratuities, Housing and Energy was allocated N8.7 billion for completion of a housing estate and other projects.

Zulum also appropriated N22.9 billion to Works, for the construction of a number of roads he listed and gave N10.4 billion to Agriculture and Natural Resources for series of farming programmes, animal and fisheries development.

The sum of N4.4 billion was allocated for Transport, while various amounts to other sectors including security operations through the Security Trust Fund and the Governor’s office which normally undertakes major interventions on sensitive security matters. The budget also proposed 64 per cent of the entire budget which is N172.5 billion out of N267.9 billion, was allocated for capital projects mostly physical constructions of infrastructure, houses, schools and others.

Zulum earlier gave detailed review of the 2021 budget performance, reeling out verified statistics of projects and programmes delivered by his administration in 2021, with names of communities where the projects are located.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has arrested 60 suspected internet fraudsters popularly known as Yahoo boys in Ogun State. EFCC Head of Media, Wilson Uwujaren, made the announcement in a statement on Monday.

According to the statement, "the suspects were nabbed at a ceremony at the Conference Hotel in Abeokuta, the state capital".

"The facility is owned by Gbenga Daniel, a former Ogun Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain.

Uwujaren alleged that the event, tagged “Peer Youths Awards”, was organized “to reward high-level internet fraudsters”.

"Items recovered from the suspects at the point of arrest include exotic cars, electronic devices, laptop computers and mobile phones".

The suspects will soon be charged to court, the spokesman added.

The EFCC carried out what it called 'sting operation' between Saturday night and early hours of Sunday morning, in an exercise decried by many.

The commission has been accused of using excessive force during raids in recent months.