Two die in Ogun auto-crash on Sallah day

The Federal Road Safety Commission in Ogun State has confirmed that two persons died on Tuesday when a commercial bus somersaulted on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

The FRSC Sector Commander, Mr Clement Oladele, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Abeokuta on Wednesday that the accident occurred around  5 pm at  Lamona Park on the expressway.

Oladele said the Volkswagen commercial bus marked  LSR 971 XG had 28 passengers, including  16 females and  12 males as well as three children,  on board.

He said the accident was caused by a tyre burst which resulted in the vehicle somersaulting.
“Two people died in the accident and their corpses have been deposited at Isara mortuary while the injured were taken to Isara Hospital, Ogere,’’ he said.

He advised motorists to obey traffic regulations and follow instructions from the FRSC patrol teams and other sister traffic agencies.

Oladele also urged motorists driving into construction areas to obey the maximum speed limit of 50km per hour stipulated on road signs along the corridors and avoid overtaking.

(NAN)
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AgegePulse

Prostitutes threaten to starve policemen of sex over incessant arrests

AgegePulse Magazine

Tony Okafor, Awka

Sex workers in Anambra State have threatened to starve policemen who patronise them over alleged harassment and arrest of their colleagues in major cities of the state.

One of the sex workers, simply identified as Kaamsi, who claimed to be a leader of the group in Umunze in the Orumba South Local Government Area of the state, told Saturday PUNCH on Friday that  her members in the state had decided to starve policemen.


Kamsi, a leader of the group of prostitutes, said they would commence the decision as from Monday next week.

She said, “These policemen constitute over 50 per cent of our customers, yet they come here at the garden to harass and intimidate us on daily basis.

“About two days ago, no fewer than 10 of our members here were arrested and taken to SARS office. They were maltreated and so dehumanised before they were granted bail and asked to pay through their noses before they regained freedom.

“This happens on daily basis here in Umunze, Onitsha, Awka, Nnewi, Ekwulobia, everywhere. So, we have decided that none of our members would ‘serve’ any policeman here in Umunze and the entire state.”

Asked whether the policemen came to them in their uniforms, Kamsi said, “We know them; we know almost all our customers. They don’t need to come to us in their uniforms to be identified.

“Brother, let me tell you, we get information here. All big men that come here, we know them up to their family level.”

Saturday PUNCH gathered that about a week ago, the Anambra Police Command raided brothels in various cities in the state and arrested no fewer than 120 persons.

According to our source, the police raided Morning Star Hotel, Amawbia, Awka South Council Area, arresting about 20 persons.

The source further said that on Sunday, the police raided Happiness Hotel in  Amanwayi, Amawbia at about noon, arresting about six women alleged to be prostitutes.

The source further alleged that the police also raided Dot4 Hotel, Mgbakwu and Bolin Hotel Nise, as well as another hotel in Ogidi, in the Idemili North Council Area, where about 60 persons were d.

Other areas raided, our correspondent gathered, were Amansea, Umunze, Onitsha and Ihiala.

Kamsi said, “The suspects were raided and bailed with N10,000 each. The police have used such raids for making money.”

Punch

Lagos to establish Commercial Courthouse to speed up dispute resolution

...As Ambode swears-in Oke as 16th substantive CJ

…We’ll stamp out corruption, uphold rule of law, new CJ vows

Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode on Friday unveiled plans by the State Government to establish a designated Commercial Courthouse with the overall objective of ensuring speedy resolution of disputes as well as drive commerce and enhance the ease of doing business in the State.

Speaking at the State Executive Chambers in Alausa while swearing-in Justice Opeyemi Oke as the 16th substantive Chief Judge of the State, Governor Ambode also called for more reforms aimed at fast-tracking justice delivery without necessarily compromising the fundamental principle of fair hearing and the rule of law.

He said: “There is no gainsaying that Lagos is the commercial nerve centre of the country and it deserves a modern state-of-the-art first class Commercial Courthouse to speedily address commercial disputes in the State.

“We plan to establish a designated Commercial Courthouse with the objective of ensuring speedy consideration of commercial matters. It is hoped that this courthouse will accommodate all commercial related organs of the judiciary in order to drive commerce and improve the ease of doing business.”

The Governor, who described the swearing-in ceremony as an affirmation of the belief of the present administration in the rule of law and the importance of the judiciary to the democratic system, said it was gratifying that the State judiciary, since the emergence of Justice Idowu Conrad-Taylor as the first Chief Judge of the State in 1967, had been the only democratic arm of government that had experienced a seamless transition in its leadership.

He said the 50 years of seamless transition aptly qualified the judiciary as one of the most resilient institutions in the State, and congratulated judiciary workers and all the past and present Chief Judges of the State for maintaining the integrity of the institution.


While congratulating Justice Oke, Governor Ambode said the development was a confirmation of her competence, experience and character to preside over the sacred temple of justice, just as he expressed absolute confidence in her intellectual capacity to steer the ship of the State Judiciary on a smooth sail.

The Governor, who alongside the Chief Judge are fellows of the Fulbright Scholarship of the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship from the United States of America, said it was important for Justice Oke to see her appointment as a platform to sustain and improve on the enviable reputation which the State Judiciary had built for itself over the years.

Speaking on areas requiring improvement, Governor Ambode said: “One area of our Judicial System which I consider as work in progress is the speed of justice delivery in the State.  We have made significant progress in this regard with the various reforms that have been initiated and implemented.

“However, I believe strongly that we can do more by stepping up our efforts so that the wheel of justice can roll faster without necessarily compromising the fundamental principle of fair hearing and the rule of law.”

He said owing to the fact that judges in the State face enormous work load as the State judiciary is the busiest in the country, his administration was determined to seek a significant increase in the number of judges to enhance turn-over of cases in the State. He also assured of continued cooperate with the judiciary in developing and implementing appropriate strategies to ensure justice is done speedily.

In her vote of assurance, Justice Oke thanked Governor Ambode and other stakeholders for the confidence reposed in her, saying that she would key into the vision of the Governor who she described as a performer and a big dreamer, to transform the State Judiciary.

The CJ vowed that the Lagos judiciary, under her, would uphold rule of law in interpreting laws, stamp out all forms of official corruption and ensure speedy dispensation of justice, as well as improve public access, transparency and accountability to boost confidence of the public in the judiciary, among others.

Justice Oke was earlier sworn-in as the CJ in acting capacity on September 25, 2017 after the retirement of former Chief Judge, Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade on September 24, 2017. Her swearing-in as the substantive CJ, however, followed the recommendation of the National Judicial Council (NJC) and confirmation by the Lagos State House of Assembly.