News

Okomu Community Commends 4 Brigade For Sustenance Of Peace, Wants FOB Established In The Area

Published

3 weeks ago

June 11, 2025

Editor

…urges him not to bow to pressure to pull out personnel from the area

…wants government to investigate those behind such pressure

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo

The natives of Okomu in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State have commended the 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army led by Brigadier General Ebenezer Olusesan Oduyebo, for the sustenance of peace in the community and its environs.

Speaking to INFO DAILY on behalf of the community, the Ibe Uyadonwei of Okomu Kingdom, Chief Edwin Denmene, said if not for the efforts of the Brigadier General and his men, Okomu would be a conquerred territory in the hand of one Lawrence Yanbor and his gang.

INFO DAILY recalled that Lawrence Yanbor and his gang on 13 May, 2024 invaded Okomu community in the night and razed down over 30 modern structures in the community. Lawrence Yanbor, alongside his cohorts also held the community to ransom and on one of the occasions precisely 7 June, 2024, shot the paramount ruler of the kingdom.

Chief Denmene who noted that the “Brigadier General has been so professional and has not been biased or taken side in the matter,” urged him to continue the good work.

Also commending the 4 Brigade personnel for a work well done, the Ibe Egberigbawei (spokesman) of Okomu Kingdom, Chief Freeman Cousin, noted that if not for the military personnel stationed in the area, Okomu would have been amongst the committee of communities under the watchlist of the state government for cultism and kidnapping, alleging that Lawrence Yanbor and his gang are culprits.

Chief Cousin, who alleged that there have been plans by some influential persons to pressure the Commander of the 4 Brigade to pull out his men from the area, urged Brigadier General Oduyebo not to bow to such pressure no matter how highly placed such pressure may be coming from.

“We have been hearing that some influential persons, specifically sponsors of Lawrence Yanbor and his gang are pressuring the 4 Brigade and Abuja to pull out the military personnel from the area. We want to passionately appeal to the 4 Brigade General and the people in Abuja not to bow to such pressure. He has been doing fantastically well, and we appreciate it, so he shouldn’t bow to such pressure,” he pleaded.

Corroborating Chief Cousin’s allegation, Hon. Amokachi Peretei, who also commended the Brigadier General Oduyebo and his men for the maintenance of peace in the community and its environs, expressed the fear that if the Commander bowed to such pressure and pulled out his men from the area, Okomu would become history.

“They want the military personnel to leave the area so they can perpetrate their evil works by attacking the community particularly those they perceive as their enemies. If the military personnel leave Okomu and its environs, no one is safe,” he added.

On his part, Chief Rickson Nanaghan called on the government “both federal and state to investigate those lobbing for the pulling out of the military personnel in the area, and not only investigation, the government should bring them to justice.”

Also lending his voice, Comrade Samson Yanbor, an indigene of the community who made reference to how Lawrence Yanbor and his gang gave a seven-day ultimatum to the Yoruba farmers in the area to vacate recently, noted that if not for the presence of the military, Lawrence Yanbor would have succeeded, adding that he would have used that opportunity to loot and burn down houses.

“Recently, Lawrence Yanbor gave the Yoruba farmers an ultimatum to vacate the area. He said he had an operation to carry out so they should leave the area. When did Lawrence become government that he should be giving an ultimatum to a people to leave a particular area so that he can carry out his operation? Is he government? Besides, which operation does he have to carry out that he had the audacity to tell a people to leave, if not for looting,” Samson Yanbor questioned.

Also speaking, Dr Atele Biriodoubrah. The Ibe-Bolowoniwei of Okomu Kingdom, on behalf of the kingdom pleaded to the Edo State governor, Monday Okpebholo to replicate what did in Ehor, Edo State, in Okomu by establishing Forward Operating Base (FOB) in the area.

“We need a Forward Operational Base in the area. We, therefore, plead to Governor Monday Okpebholo to help us establish a Forward Operational Base (FOB) in our community as he has done for the people of Ehor in the state,” he said.

He named Opuba as the hiding place for Lawrence Yanbor and his gang, urging the military and other security agencies to look into this direction.

News

Lagos Suspends BRT Lane Enforcement On Eko Bridge, Odo Iya-Alaro

Published

6 hours ago

July 2, 2025

Editor

The Lagos State Government has temporarily suspended enforcement of the Bus Rapid Transit lane along the Eko Bridge and Odo Iya-Alaro corridor to ease growing traffic congestion.

This gridlock is a result of the ongoing structural rehabilitation on the Ogudu-Ifako Bridge expansion joint.

Special Adviser to the Lagos Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa announced the suspension on Wednesday, describing it as a strategic move to tackle gridlock in affected parts of the city.

“This remedial measure, conceived as a palliative response to mitigate commuter hardship, aligns with the Lagos State Government’s forward-thinking and adaptive transportation strategy under the THEMES Plus Agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, particularly within the framework of sustainable traffic management and infrastructure modernisation,” Giwa said.

He explained that the temporary suspension is a transitional and conditional measure aimed at absorbing the anticipated vehicular overflow caused by the partial closure of the Ifako-bound carriageway of the Third Mainland corridor.

“We are fully cognizant of the immense strain currently imposed on key ingress routes into the Lagos Mainland. Consequently, this tactical suspension of BRT lane enforcement is a calculated response designed to deliver immediate relief, reduce commuting time, and preserve the fluidity of vehicular movement throughout the duration of the bridge repairs,” he added.

According to him, the directive takes immediate effect and allows general vehicular access to previously restricted BRT corridors on Eko Bridge and Odo Iya-Alaro, particularly during peak travel periods.

He said this move is expected to expand available road capacity and ease traffic along critical routes.

Giwa, however, stressed that commercial buses and articulated vehicles must remain in compliance with existing safety rules and loading guidelines to avoid worsening traffic conditions or compromising public safety.

He also disclosed that the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has been mobilised to strengthen its presence along the affected corridors.

“Enhanced personnel deployment and traffic equipment are now in place to ensure orderly conduct, prevent exploitation of the temporary suspension, and respond promptly to any emergent traffic disturbances,” Giwa stated.

News

Lagos Opens Teacher Recruitment Portal For Two Weeks

Published

6 hours ago

July 2, 2025

Editor

The Lagos State Government has announced the reactivation of its teaching job recruitment portal to allow qualified individuals to apply for entry-level teaching positions.

In a notice issued by the Lagos State Teaching Service Commission on Tuesday, the portal will be open for applications from Tuesday, July 1 to Monday, July 14, 2025.

“The Lagos State Teaching Service Commission is set to reactivate its Recruitment Portal as a bold step towards improving access to employment opportunities, equity, and fairness.

“The job portal, which will be accessible for two weeks (Tuesday, July 1st 2025, to Monday, July 14th, 2025), is intended to provide a centralised platform where individuals can apply for State Teaching jobs at the entry level (GL 08) in their relevant fields,” the notice read.

The move, according to the Commission, is aimed at improving access to employment opportunities in the education sector while ensuring equity and fairness.

TESCOM urged interested applicants with a degree in Education or other relevant qualifications to visit the official portal https://tescomjobs.lagosstate.gov.ng and apply for teaching roles at Grade Level 08.

The notice was signed by the Chairman of the Lagos State Teaching Service Commission.

News

FG Unveils N50m Grant To Boost Student Innovation, Entrepreneurship

Published

7 hours ago

July 2, 2025

Editor

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has announced a N50m Student Grant Venture Capital Initiative to support scaling student-led enterprises in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.

Alausa said the initiative aims to bridge the gap between academia and industry by turning homegrown research into commercially viable products and services.

The minister made the announcement on Wednesday in Abuja when he inaugurated the Research and Innovation Commercialisation Committee.

He said the scheme, which will be anchored by TETFund in partnership with the Bank of India, targets undergraduate students in 300-level and above with viable business models and innovations ready for market expansion.

According to the minister, the development is aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda of transitioning Nigeria from a resource-based economy to a knowledge-driven one.

“We have hundreds of thousands of young geniuses across our institutions. This fund is designed to unlock their potential and help them build globally competitive enterprises,” the minister said.

On her part, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, described the inauguration as a landmark moment in Nigeria’s education and innovation history.

“For too long, research in our tertiary institutions has been reduced to tools for promotion rather than solutions for development. This must change,” she said.

In his response, the Committee Chairman, Dr. Tayo Aduloju, described the RICC as “a matter of national urgency”, noting that Nigeria’s research investment as a percentage of GDP is among the lowest when compared to peer nations.