Metro

Kwara Court Convicts 40 Ilorin Residents For Improper Refuse Dump, Illegal Scavenging

Published

1 year ago

August 17, 2024

A Magistrate Court sitting in Ilorin on Friday sentenced 40 persons to a 3-month jail term each for violation of the Kwara State Environmental Law.

The defendants, who are residents of Ilorin, were arraigned on different charges ranging from indiscriminate disposal of refuse, encroachment, and illegal scavenging. They all pleaded guilty to the offences.

Presiding Magistrate Saidu Tunde Abdulkareem sentenced the defendants to 3 months imprisonment each, with an option of 50,000 fine, in line with the provisions of section 5 subsection 1- 4 of the State Environmental Law.

Thirty-one of the defendants were arrested for indiscriminate disposal of refuse, while nine were apprehended for illegal scavenging, the Court held.

Speaking on the judgment, the State Commissioner for Environment and Forestry, Hon Nafisat Buge, who welcomed the development, said the motive behind the continuous enforcement of the Environmental Law was to curb the outbreak of diseases, flood disasters and other dangers inherent in indiscriminate dumping of refuse.

The Ministry recently inaugurated a task force to arrest individuals caught breaching environmental standards, particularly improper disposal of waste, encroachment, and illegal scavenging.

“The task force commenced enforcement on Tuesday, and they made some arrests. We have a Mobile Court here in the Ministry that prosecutes them just like what we witnessed today,” she said.

Buge added that the Ministry has since been sensitizing the public against such practices.

“Before now, the state House of Assembly had enacted a law that prohibits scavenging in the Ilorin metropolis. Their activities have been restricted to a government-designated dump site around the Sokoto Aiyekale expressway،” she said.

“For indiscriminate dumping of refuse, we have gone round for physical engagement. We also embarked on media advocacy to sensitize our people on the need to stop indiscriminate dumping of refuse because of the danger inherent in such a habit.”

The Commissioner urged residents of Ilorin to always use the roro bins placed at strategic locations within the metropolis or seek the services of commercial waste collectors, who only charge a token for proper waste management.

She said this exercise will continue for as long as people engage in unlawful dumping of refuse.

“We have done a proper assessment of our drainages, and we realized that the majority of these drainages are blocked as a result of improper dumping of refuse. We are disilting them, but we wouldn’t want such an act to continue. That is why we are determined to have a healthier and cleaner environment in the state,” she added.

Metro

Imo To Arraign Lawyer Over Anti-Uzodimma Articles

Published

2 hours ago

September 25, 2025

Editor

The police in Imo State have charged an Owerri-based lawyer, Chinedu Agu, with cyberstalking and defamation of character following two opinion articles written by the lawyer criticising the administration of Governor Hope Uzodimma.

Agu was scheduled to be arraigned before the magistrates’ court in Owerri on Wednesday but the case was stalled as chief magistrates in the court were away for an official function.

The spokesman for the Imo State Police Command, DSP Henry Okoye, confirmed that Agu would be arraigned for cyberstalking, defamation of character, inciting civil disturbances, and conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace.

“Yes, Mr. Chinedu Agu, Esq., will be arraigned before a Magistrate’s Court in Owerri on allegations bordering on cyberstalking, defamation of character, inciting civic disturbances, and conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace. The arraignment is in accordance with the rule of law and with due respect for his fundamental human rights,” Okoye said.

Agu, a known critic of Governor Uzodimma’s administration, was arrested on Tuesday after honouring a fresh police invitation.

His arrest followed a petition by the Imo Democratic Alliance, signed by Umukoro Marvis Udochukwu, accusing the lawyer of publishing inciting articles.

Several lawyers thronged the court on Wednesday, including the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Owerri branch, Chief Chris Ihentuge; Chairman of the Eastern Bar Forum, Damian Nosike; and a former NBA Owerri Chairman, Chief Stanley Imo (SAN).

However, after waiting for hours without proceedings, Nosike informed them that no chief magistrate was available.

“We have just been informed that there is no chief magistrate available for the charges to be preferred against our colleague, Barr. Chinedu Agu. The police said they will take him back to their office and return him to court tomorrow. The matter cannot be heard today,” Nosike told his colleagues.

Agu has recently gained attention through a series of opinion pieces critical of the Uzodimma administration.

On August 30, 2025, he published an article titled,“Tears from Enugu: A lawyer’s heartbreaking diary from a state that works to a state in ruins,” followed the next day by another one titled,“Imo State — where justice is on vacation during court vacation”.

In response, Imo State Commissioner for Information, Declan Emelumba, wrote a rebuttal titled, “Lawyer Agu’s satanic verses against Imo State”.

Meanwhile, Agu has insisted Imo Democratic Alliance, which wrote a petition leading to his arrest, is a fictitious organisation, claiming it is neither registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission nor traceable to any physical address.

He alleged that the petition against him was sponsored by Emelumba.

Agu’s arraignment is now expected to hold today (Thursday).

Metro

Police Declare Man Wanted For Attempted Murder, Fraud

Published

2 hours ago

September 25, 2025

Editor

The Nigeria Police Force has declared one Okoro Prince Nkemakolam wanted for alleged involvement in criminal conspiracy, attempted murder, assault, threat to life, and criminal breach of trust.

The Force made this known in a Special Police Gazette Bulletin released via its official X handle on Thursday.

The Force stated that Nkemakolam is wanted by the Office of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Nigeria Police Force (INTERPOL), and the Head National Central Bureau, Force Headquarters in Abuja.

The bulletin stated, “The above-named person is hereby declared wanted by the Nigeria Police Force. A warrant of arrest was issued against him by the High Court of Abuja.

“He is wanted for the offence of criminal conspiracy, attempted murder, fraud, threat to life, criminal breach of trust, and attempted murder by attacking the complainant with a machete and knife to the extent that he was admitted and stitched all over his head and his body, escaping death by the whiskers.”

The police described Nkemakolam as a 38-year-old man of medium height and build, with copper complexion and a square-shaped face.

According to the police, the suspect dresses in western clothes and speaks Igbo fluently, and was last seen in Benin/Abakaliki in Umobo community, Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

The Force urged members of the public with useful information on his whereabouts to report to the nearest police station or contact the Interpol, Force Headquarters, Abuja, through 080622129151.

Metro

JSS 3 Student Hacks Man To Death In Cross River

Published

3 hours ago

September 25, 2025

Editor

A Junior Secondary School student in Ugboro Secondary School in Bekwara Local Government Area of Cross River State, identified as Ogbeche, has hacked a 23-year old man to death.

The incident was said to have occurred in Ugboro at the close of school on Tuesday, when Ogbeche and another student whose name was given as Nicholas were engaged in a fight and the deceased known as Oshen went to separate them.

Speaking to Vanguard, an eyewitness simply identified as Lizzy, said while Oshen was separating the fight, Ogbeche took offence that Oshen was siding his opponent and left the fight to pick a pestle used in pounding food and struck Oshen on the head causing him to collapse.

“When he picked up the pestle, people were shouting, asking him to drop it but he did not listen. He went ahead to hit Oshen on the head with it.

“You know the pestles we use here are very heavy not like the ones you people use in the town, that was why it could inflict severe damage to the head with just one strike,” Lizzy said.

According to her, Oshen did not die on the spot but was rushed to a hospital at Ogoja, where he died same Tuesday night.

“Oshen’s father, known as Oshen Ushaka, was one of the early rich men we had here in Bekwara. He passed on some years back and his children are the ones occupying his compound,” she added.

The eyewitness further explained that Ogbeche has a record of regular fights and, some times, he attacked his fellow students with machete but there had been no casualty until the Tuesday incident.

It was gathered that the assailant was arrested by the police and is currently at the Ogoja prison.