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Fashola orders investigation into alleged killing of protester over toll collection in Lekki Governor of Lagos State BABATUNDE FASHOLA has ordered an investigation into the alleged extra judicial killing of a protester during last Saturday’s demonstration by Lekki residents against the collection of toll on Lekki-Epe Expressway. The executive order is to be carried out by the state Commissioner for Justice ADE IPAYE and the Commissioner of Police YAKUB ALKALI . FASHOLA said his attention had been drawn to the reports in the media alleging that a citizen was shot and killed by the police during the protest by those opposed to the toll collection. The governor said while he recognizes the rights of the police to enforce the law, the law of the land does not permit either the excessive use of force or extra-judicial killings. The order is meant to establish the identity of the victim, if anyone was actually killed during the protest and identify the killers as well as to

Meanwhile, the two recognized commercial motorcyclists unions in the Lagos have kicked against the state government’s new measures to restrict the movement of their members. The state chairman of Motorcycle Operators Association, Tijani Perkins wondered why the state government must continue to issue riders card and as well restrict their movement. He said state should rather ban okada instead of frustrating them from earn a living in the state. For the All Nigeria Autobike Commercial Owners and Workers Association, its state Chairman, Aliyu Wamba said the law is against the people doing their legitimate business in Lagos.

Lagos announces new measures to tackle environment, transportation nuisances The Lagos State Government says the restriction of movement of commercial motorcyclists on the expressways and major highways in the state will commence with immediate effect. Commissioner for the Environment, Tunji Bello who made this known today at a joint ministerial briefing in Alausa said the state would also commence the clampdown on those engaging in indiscriminate dumping of refuse on the roads and illegal street trading. Bello said more dual carriage roads have added to the list of the restricted routes for commercial, private or companies’ motorcyclists operating in Lagos, adding that the measures were meant to ensure security, safety and protection of lives and property. He said anybody found guilty of violating these new rules would be made to engage in community service in line with the new criminal law in the state. For his part, the Commissioner for Transportation, Kayode Op

Fashola to revoke C of O of building where armed robbers are caught Governor of Lagos State, BabatundeFashola has threatened to revoke the certificate of occupancy, C of O, of premises where armed robbers are caught in within the metropolis. Fashola, who stated this during today’s fifth Town Hall Meeting on Security said such building would be converted to public use. The governor also lashed outat the federal government for its inability to provide adequate security forpeople of the country and Lagos in particular. He explained that the totalcollapse of security in the country was largely responsible for the breakdownof law and order and also raised alarm on the mass influx of foreigners intoLagos For his part, the statecommissioner of police Yakubu Alkali disclosed that five hundred and fifty twoarmed robbers were arrested within the last one year in the state, while onehundred and sixty four armed robbers were killed. He said nineteen policeofficers were also killed with

Protests mar release of ACN candidates for October LG polls The Lagos State House of Assembly has advised protesting members of the Action Congress of Nigeria coming to the House to direct their complaints to the party secretariat to address their grievances. The Deputy Speaker of the House, Kolawole Taiwo told some aggrieved members of the party   from Oriade Local Council Development Area who stormed the Assembly complex today that the party secretariat would be more appropriate to address their complains on the imposition of candidates for the next month's local government election in the state. Earlier, the spokesperson of the group, Kehinde Animashun said stakeholders and residents of the council have unanimously endorsed one Moshood Badmus for the chairmanship position. He said the incumbent chairman Tunde Sanusi imposed by the party has not done anything to improve the well being of the people for the past three years that he has been the council boss. Meanw

LAGOS                                                                                   24/08/11 Governor of Lagos State , BABATUNDE FASHOLA has signed into the tenancy bill into law. The law seeks to regulate the relationship between the landlord and the tenant as well as the recovery of premises. It also banned the landlords from collecting rent in excess of six months for existing tenants and one year for new tenants. Governor FASHOLA at the brief ceremony at Alausa said the law was meant to address the housing problem in the state. The state Attorney-general and Commissioner for Justice ADE IPAYE also explained some aspects of the law.   Correspondent SULAYMON ABDULKAREEM reports that Governor FASHOLA also signed into law the state Parks and Gardens Agency bill. 

Governor BABATUNDE FASHOLA has signed into law three new bills, including the new criminal law for the state. The other two laws are the state criminal justice administration in the High courts and magistrate courts and the state Emergency Management Agency Amendment bills. The new criminal law repeals the criminal code which has being in existence since nineteen fourteen. Governor FASHOLA at the signing of the laws in Alausa said the former criminal code has lost torch with the current realities of modern society. He said the law would protect the weak in the state. The state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, ADE IPAYE said the new law would also address the problem of prison congestion as well as the introduction of new offences.

Major HAMZA AL-MUSTAPHA Wednesday continued his evidence in chief before Justice MOJISOLA DADA of a Lagos High Court with a claim that late Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief BOLA IGE was among those used against M.K.O ABIOLA. He also told the judge that late NADECO leader Chief ABRAHAM ADESANYA coordinated the activities of South-West leaders used to nueralise the agitation for the actualization of the June twelve mandate. The Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State, General SANI ABACHA, also claimed that the South-West leaders changed position after receiving huge sums of money from the government. AL-MUSTAPHA said he was arrested and detained by former Head of State, General ABDULSALAM ABUABAKAR because of the information at his disposal. Despite objection from the prosecution the judge admitted two materials, including a document by General ABUBAKAR authorizing the disbursement of funds for a matter of urgent national importance and a video of South-West leaders

The Lagos State Government is soliciting the support of motorists in the state to ensure the success of the newly-introduced vehicle documents electronics verification device. The Commissioner for transport, KAYODE OPEIFA who made he plea at the commissioning of the Auto-Inspector in Alausa said the device would boost the government’s efforts in transforming the transport sector. OPEIFA said the device would be used by traffic control and law enforcement officers to determine vehicle ownership status. The State Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Commission, JONAS AGWU and the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Traffic Division, MARGARET EKPE said the new device would reduce the delay in vehicle documents verification exercise.

Lagos evicts flood victims from Agbowa Ikosi relief camp  The Lagos State Government has shut the Agbowa Ikosi relief camp ten months after it was opened for the victims of last year’s flooding in Ajegunle, along Ikorodu road. The Commissioner for Special Duties, Doctor WALE AHMED who led the operation said the government has taken care of the one thousand, one hundred displaced people in the camp. The General Manager of the Lagos State emergency Management Agency, Doctor FEMI OKE-OSANYINTOLU said the camp would be prepared for future relief exercises. Some of the displaced persons commended the state government for coming to their assistance.           

The Federal Government has promised to support Lagos State Government on the problems of flood and coastal erosion in the state. The Minister of Trade and Investment OLUSEGUN AGANGA made this known when he led a federal government delegation to inspect areas affected by the recent flooding in Agege and Eti-Osa areas of the state. AGANGA said both NIMASA and NPA would look into the problem of ship wreck on Lekki beach.           On the looming danger on Alpha beach in Ajah, the Lagos State Commissioner for Water Front Infrastructure Development, SEGUN ONIRU said the state has lost twenty metres of coastline in the last two weeks.

The Lagos State Government has presented the third batch of retirees with retirement bond certificates. The Deputy Governor JOKE ORELOPE-ADEFULIRE made the presentations to three hundred and twenty-eight beneficiaries at a ceremony in Alausa. She said the total sum of the bond was two point one billion naira. The Director General of the Lagos State Pension Commission, KUNLE HUSSEIN who was also at the event, said over three billion naira has so far been paid to six hundred and fifty retirees in the state.

The Lagos State Government has commenced the process of implementing the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act. Governor BABATUNDE FASHOLA made this known at the closing of this year's Public Service Week in Alausa. He said will assemble a team of experts to advise the government on the FOI Act, and urged civil servants to be proactive in their duties. On the minimum wage, Governor FASHOLA said the state government decided to implement the eighteen thousand naira minimum wage to encourage the workforce.

Governor of Lagos State BABATUNDE FASHOLA has condemned the critics of his administration huge spending on the environment. FASHOLA at the state organized World Environment Day in Ikeja said no amount of money spent to curtail threats posed by the climate change would be too much. He said Nigeria remains the most vulnerable country in Africa to the challenge of climate change and global warming, calling for more sustainable enlightenment campaign on the environment in the country. Prominent Environmentalist NEWTON JIBUNOH on his part attributed the current challenges posed by the environment globally to negative and uncontrolled attitudes of the people to the environment.

The Deputy Governor of Lagos state, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire has called for an immediate review of the concept and practice of federal character principle towards building a virile and strong nation. Orelope-Adefulire told the visiting delegation of the Federal Character Commission in her office in Alausa argued that the call became imperative in order to ensure the much needed national integration. She also reiterated call for the institution of a special allocation for Lagos both as a former federal capital and as economic nerve centre of the country. Earlier, the Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, MUHAMMADU ARI-GWASKA, thanked the Lagos State Government for the manner it has integrated all ethnic groups resident in the State. He pointed out that Lagos is a clear example of the principle of federal character, noting that the matured leadership in Lagos is the basis for the unity and peaceful co-existence of the people residing in the state.

The Lagos State Police Command has begun the evacuation of all abandoned vehicles within the premises of the state government secretariat in Alausa, Ikeja. The exercise may not be unconnected with a directive by the Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringim that all abandoned vehicles within the police stations and government installations across the country should be evacuated following series of the bomb explosions in some parts of the country. Correspondent Sulaymon Abdulkareem reports that more than ten of such vehicles were today removed around the state security outfit, the Rapid Response Squad to unknown destinations. A senior police officer attached to the RRS who confirmed the operation said it was in line with the directive by the Police IG to ensure safety of people, adding that the exercise would be a continuous one and extended to other parts of the state.