Lagos State Government on Monday re-arraigned convicted billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans.

The Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja is hearing the case of the murder of two police officers by the billionaire kidnapper.

READ ALSO: Billionaire Kidnapper Evans Seeks Plea Bargain, Says He Now Teaches Prisoners

He and his co-defendant, Joseph Emeka, were arraigned before Justice A. O. Ogala on a five-count charge bordering on murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.

They both pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Details later…

At least 17 houses have been demolished by the Lagos State Government for encroaching on the right-of-way (RoW) of the Ikota River alignment.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, led a monitoring and enforcement team, accompanied by journalists, to the site on Saturday.

Wahab cautioned residents against actions that threaten the environment, warning that nature inevitably retaliates against human negligence and unlawful reclamation of wetlands.

He disclosed that the ministry had received reports months earlier about illegal reclamation activities aimed at narrowing the river’s natural path.

“We stopped them then, but we were alerted again recently that the encroachment had resumed aggressively, with attempts to sell land to unsuspecting buyers,” Wahab said.

READ ALSO:EFCC Probes Travellers Over Undeclared $6m, £53,000 At Lagos Airport

The commissioner said the government had now taken decisive action to halt the encroachment and clear all illegal structures along the alignment.

He added that those behind the unlawful activity would be identified and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

Speaking on the perennial challenge of flooding, Wahab noted that while it is impossible to completely prevent flooding in a coastal state like Lagos, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, lagoons, and rivers, the government continues to invest in infrastructure to mitigate its impact.

“What we can do is reduce its effects through resilient infrastructure, which Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has consistently provided and maintained,” he said.

Despite ongoing efforts to desilt and maintain drainage systems daily, Wahab lamented that some individuals persist in obstructing waterways for personal gain.

READ ALSO:Lagos Closes Adeniji Adele–CMS Lane For Six Weeks Of Repairs

He cited property number 156 as an example, saying it blocked the coastal road alignment and disrupted the natural flow of water.

“That property will be cleared to allow the Ikota channel to discharge freely into the Lagos Lagoon,” he added.

Wahab stressed that demolition was not always the state’s first option, as the government often explored corrective measures.

“Sometimes we ask developers to produce practical designs for stormwater discharge, but they must bear the cost, not taxpayers,” he said, describing it as irresponsible for the government to fix problems created by private developers who profit from violating environmental regulations.

During an inspection tour of the Lekki–Epe corridor, Wahab also decried the massive encroachment on wetlands originally designed to retain excess rainwater.

READ ALSO:Why DSS Questioned Me Over Viral Threat Video — Lagos NURTW Boss

He said drone surveillance had exposed extensive damage to the wetland corridor, including the destruction of coconut trees planted for soil stability.

According to him, violators were issued demolition notices on 26 September, ahead of planned transport infrastructure works on the same route.

He explained that the inspection was intended to align environmental preservation with the Ministry of Transport’s Green Line Rail project.

READ ALSO:Adekunle Gold Unveils Street Named After Him In Lagos

Additionally, the Commissioner for Transport, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, stated that the Green Line Rail project, which will run from Marina to Epe, is anticipated to commence in December following stakeholder consultations and feasibility studies.

Osiyemi said some car dealers who were granted temporary approval to use power line spaces had violated terms by constructing permanent structures on wetlands.

“As a state, we must enforce compliance and protect the environment while advancing our transport development agenda,” Osiyemi said.

He added that the Green Line project, which is expected to last approximately three years, forms part of Lagos State’s integrated transport solution aimed at easing mobility across the metropolis.

Other areas visited during the inspection included Chevron Gate off Orchid Road, Partibon Homes, Oral Extension Phase 2, and Park View in Ikoyi.

(NAN)

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has launched an investigation into two travellers found in possession of undeclared foreign currencies totalling over $6,000 and £53,000 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Terminal 2 in Lagos.

This was made known through a statement posted on the agency’s verified X handle on Saturday.

Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the EFCC, based in Ikoyi, have identified the suspects as Mamud Nasidi and Yahaya Nasidi.

The anti-graft agency said the suspects were apprehended by personnel of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria during a routine check on Saturday.

READ ALSO:BREAKING: EFCC Chairman, Former Rivers Sole administrator Ibas In Aso Rock

Earlier, The PUNCH reported how the suspects who attempted to board an Aerocontractors aircraft with an undeclared sum of over $6.1m in cash were intercepted and arrested at the aircraft’s foot.

They claimed to be security officials travelling with a suspect and the money as exhibits.

However, the EFCC stated in its announcement that the duo, who had arrived in Nigeria from Dubai via Addis Ababa and were en route to Abuja, allegedly failed to declare the sums of $6,180 and £53,415 in their possession, as required by law.

Following their arrest, they were initially handed over to the Department of State Services before being transferred to the EFCC for further investigation and possible prosecution.

READ ALSO:Court Admits More Evidence In EFCC’s $4.5bn Case Against Emefiele

EFCC also confirmed the seizure of three mobile phones found on the suspects at the time of arrest.

The suspects and the confiscated items were formally received by CSE Margaret Lamai on behalf of the acting Zonal Director, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, Ahmed Ghali.

The EFCC in its statement said, “Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Okotie Eboh, Ikoyi, Lagos, have commenced investigations of two travellers arrested by operatives of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, for allegedly failing to declare the sums of $6,180 and £53,415 cash in their possession.

“Also found on the suspects are three mobile phones. The suspects and the exhibits were received by CSE Margaret Lamai on behalf of the acting Zonal Director, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, EFCC, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE1 Ahmed Ghali.”