News

Govt Issues 48-hour Ultimatum To Traders Under Lagos Bridge

Published

8 months ago

January 23, 2025

The Lagos State Government has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to traders operating under the Apongbon Bridge and along drainage setbacks in Lagos Island to vacate the areas.

The directive is part of the state’s urban regeneration initiative aimed at improving infrastructure and tackling environmental challenges.

Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, announced this during an inspection of the Savage/Elegbata/Bombata Drainage Channel on Thursday.

In a statement made available to The PUNCH by the Director of Public Affairs, the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Kunle Adeshina, Wahab highlighted the impact of human activities in the area, including flooding and threats to lives and property.

“I have instructed that the shop/stall owners be served abatement notice. We are going to clear these infractions and keep the maintenance work going while ensuring that the contract is revisited to accommodate these two collectors,” he said.

The commissioner noted the illegal conversion of spaces under the Apongbon Bridge into livestock markets and ordered the immediate relocation of traders to designated areas.

He said, “What we saw is not something that we are happy about. People have fully built on setback and drainage channels and when you build structures on these infrastructure, how do you expect these infrastructure to be maintained?

“We have abused these infrastructure and I have given directives to the appropriate department to serve notice of abatement and if compliance is not carried out enforcement will commence.”

Wahab warned that the state would enforce environmental laws if compliance is not achieved.

He emphasised that all affected traders would be monitored after the 48-hour deadline, with violators facing penalties.

In addition, two buildings under construction on Alakoro Martins Street and in Ebute Ero Market were sealed for illegally stacking materials on drainage systems.

Wahab stated that offenders must clear the blockages and restore the drainage system before the buildings can be unsealed.

“The buildings were sealed because they stacked their building materials on the drainage system and this is illegal because they block the drainage system in the process. Such offenders will be required to remove the materials and clean the drainage system before they are unsealed,” Wahab stated.

Wahab reaffirmed the state’s commitment to working with local governments to maintain market spaces and enforce environmental laws.

He also stressed the importance of public cooperation in preserving infrastructure and preventing illegal activities such as refuse dumping and trading on drainage channels.

Addressing concerns raised by the Lagos State House of Assembly on stolen manhole covers, Wahab noted that the Ministries of Environment and Works are collaborating to resolve the issue.

Special Adviser on Environment, Engr. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, urged traders to use designated market spaces and avoid defacing the environment.

He called on residents to take ownership of public infrastructure and maintain a sustainable environment.

The inspection covered areas including Savage Lane, Cole Street, George Street, Abu Lane, Apongbon Underbridge, Olowogbowo, and Alakoro Martins Street.

Officials present included the Permanent Secretaries of the Environment Ministry, representatives from the Lagos Waste Management Authority, Lagos State Waste Management Office, and other agencies.

News

Boko Haram Once Nominated Muhammadu Buhari As Negotiator – Jonathan Revealed

Published

5 hours ago

October 3, 2025

Editor

Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday, disclosed that Boko Haram insurgents once nominated the late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari as their negotiator.

Jonathan said Boko Haram chose Buhari to negotiate with the Nigerian government on their behalf.

He made the disclosure while speaking at the public presentation of Scars, a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (retd.), in Abuja.

Jonathan said the insurgents named Buhari after his then-administration set up several committees to explore dialogue with the group.

Jonathan said: “One of the committees we set up then, the Boko Haram nominated Buhari to lead their team to negotiate with the government.

“So I was feeling that, oh, if they nominated Buhari to represent them and had a discussion with the government committee, then when Buhari took over, it could have been an easy way to negotiate with them and they would have handed over their guns. But it was still there till today.”

Jonathan noted that the inability of Buhari to eradicate Boko Haram terrorists showed that the crisis was more complex than often portrayed.

News

Edo: Pandemonium As NDLEA Operatives Chase Escaping Driver With Shooting

Published

7 hours ago

October 3, 2025

Editor

There was pandemonium at Oka Market, Upper Sakponba Road, Benin City, Friday, as operatives of the State Command of Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) shot sporadically in chase of an escaping driver.

In the course of the commotion, traders and residents took to their heels, probably to avoid being hit by stray bullets, while others were confused, not sure of what caused the sporadic gunshots.

The sporadic gunshots which lasted more than five minutes at the gate of the NDLEA Head Office, by Oka Market, followed a hot chase of an articulated vehicle driver who was said to have brushed their (NDLEA) vehicle.

The driver, who reportedly brushed the NDLEA vehicle refused to stop for negation, which prompted officers at the scene to alert their colleagues who waited at the alert.

According to eyewitnesses, as the escaping articulated driver approached the NDLEA office, officers who were said to have been alerted by their colleagues pursuing the trailer began to shoot.

Seven of the tyres of the trailer were deflated by bullets of the NDLEA operatives yet the driver refused to stop.

The officers continued to shoot while pursuing him, until he was caught.

A source said that the driver brushed their vehicle on the way, and that every effort by the officers to stop him so they could settle the matter proved abortive; hence the gunshots and deflation of the tires.

“It was a simple thing; they jammed our men, but the officers tried to stop him so that they could settle, but the driver refused to stop. That is why the men have been shooting to stop him. Even after bursting about seven tires, he was still running, but we caught him and they are bringing him back to our office,” he concluded.

Calls and messages sent to the commander, Edo State NDLEA Command, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, were not responded to as at when filing this.

News

JUST IN: Court Bars Police From Enforcing Tinted Glass Regulation

Published

8 hours ago

October 3, 2025

Editor

The Federal High Court sitting in Warri has issued an order directing the Nigeria Police Force and the Inspector-General of Police to maintain the status quo in the ongoing case concerning the controversial tinted glass permit.

The case, Suit No. FHC/WR/CS/103/2025: John Aikpokpo-Martins v. Inspector-General of Police & Nigeria Police Force, came up for hearing today.

Delivering the interim order, the Court directed the police authorities to respect judicial processes pending further proceedings in the matter.

Confirming the development, Kunle Edun, SAN, who led the legal team, noted that the directive is a major step in ensuring that the rule of law is upheld while the substantive issues in the case are being determined.

Details of the ruling and the next adjourned date are expected shortly.

Further updates coming soon…