society
We Won’t Tolerate Lawlessness, Violation Of Building Codes In Ogun-Abiodun
We Won’t Tolerate Lawlessness, Violation Of Building Codes In Ogun-Abiodun
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on Monday, warned that the state government will not tolerate lawlessness and the violation of the state’s building codes.
The governor also denied any political motives in the partial demolition of DATKEM Plaza, Ijebu-Ode.
Prince Abiodun formally reacted to the demolition and the attendant accusation after inspecting the 8-kilometre Mowe-Ofada Road, in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of the state.
According to the governor, the partial demolition exercise carried out by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development was in line with the laws of the state.
He denied accusations in some quarters that the exercise was political, adding that necessary steps were taken by government officials when contraventions were observed in the course of constructing the edifice.
The governor noted that in Ogun State, and Nigeria, nobody is above the law. The law that governs ordinary citizens, according to him, also applies to the VIPs.
He said: “But for the fact you have ambushed me, I was not prepared to formally address that subject matter. And the reasons are very simple, we are a responsible government. We are responsible to our citizens. We are a law-abiding administration. I’m sure that everyone would testify to the fact that since I assumed office in 2019, I have ensured equity, fairness and upheld the rule of law. I have not in any way attempted to be vindictive or in any form or manner appear like someone who is trying to witch-hunt anyone.
“Having said that, because these are some of the insinuations I have read on social media and nothing could be farther from the truth. You all have seen the position of the Ministry of Physical Planning, which is the ministry that is entrusted with ensuring that people adhere to our different building codes. Because if we don’t respect building codes, if we don’t abide by building laws, it means that we are nothing but a chaotic society.
“These are the people charged with ensuring that our cities and towns are well laid out, well planned and the buildings that are constructed are safe to live in. We are all living witnesses to what has happened in the state and Lagos State when buildings have collapsed. And proactively, our government and across the country have brought some buildings down for violations of different building regulations.
“Only a few weeks ago, the new minister of the FCT said any person who builds in FCT without approval no matter how highly placed they are, be it a minister or anybody, the building will come down. And recalled sometime last year, when a building collapsed on Gerald in Lagos, a building that belonged to someone that I know personally, I held a press conference and said we would not allow for this to happen in Ogun State. You build without approval, you build beyond your approval, if you don’t build in line with our regulations, that building will come down.
“Now, let’s go to this DATKEM. First I can assure you that our physical planning team do not have the responsibility of unmasking who the owner of a company is. It is beyond their mandate. As far as they know, a company called DATKEM had applied for approval to erect a five-story building. That approval was filed in 2009, way beyond our administration. But sometime in 2022, a contravention notice was sent to the owners of DATKEM.
“In Ogun State and in Nigeria, we don’t have a set of laws for the common man and the VIP. That is not the way it works. There is one law for everybody. Nobody is above the law. And the law is not the respecter of VIPs or VIPPs. So, they sent the contravention notice to DATKEM, regardless of who the owner of DATKEM was, which was not their priority. After they sent that contravention notice in May 2022, they sent a stop order notice to DATKEM, saying you are in contravention, stop working on this project until you come and correct these contraventions. They followed that stop order with another stop order. They sent a violation order. They sealed the premises. “The owners of DATKEM in their minds must have felt they were above the law. It smirks of impunity if the Ministry of Physical Planning sends you a contravention order, sends you a seal order and you continue with the construction in violation of the safety of all of us in Ogun State.
“They sent you a demolition order, you still did not respond. You begin to sneak into the building at night, you begin to work there. You begin to attempt to grease palms so that they can overlook your contraventions. But, of course, a day of reckoning will always come.”
The governor said properties are demolished every day in the state without any noise being made, adding that he had instructed that if his property violates state laws, it should be brought down.
Addressing the accusation of vindictiveness, the governor recalled his intervention in another property belong to the alleged owner of DATKEM.
He said: “Let me take you down memory lane. The purported owner of this property, when I assumed office in 2019, had a property in Abeokuta. It was meant to be a hotel. My predecessor had sealed that property for eight years. He had issued a stop order. He was going to demolish that building, but for my intervention. I pleaded with him. That building remained under lock and key until I resumed office. The first day I was sworn in was the very day the owner moved into that property for the first time in eight years. And today, the property is called Conference Hotel in Abeokuta.
“How do you now begin to accuse the same me that facilitated the completion of that project despite different court actions that were brought then, despite different charges by the EFCC that were hanging around the project. I actually commissioned that project alongside the former vice president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. You are now trying to use media, trying to attract unnecessary sympathy, playing the underdog that I, Dapo Abiodun, demolished a property that first I didn’t know it was yours; your name is not on that property. You never came forward to say this property is yours.
“You expect that someone, who is a serving senator, a former governor of this state, would show a level of more responsibility. I have said it that I, Dapo Abiodun, if I have a building that violates the building code, bring it down.
“And by this, I am sending a strong warning to all of us across the state. There are many of you who have buildings without approvals. There are many of you who don’t even have C of O. If you have built without approvals, the long arm of the law will soon be catching up with you. We will not tolerate lawlessness in this state. We will not be defined by lawlessness and half hazard development when you just build anyhow.”
Alleged Manipulation of Defilement Case Sparks Call for Review of Legal Advice in Lagos
By Ifeoma Ikem
A legal controversy has emerged in Lagos following a petition seeking a review of a legal advice issued in a case involving two female teachers accused of negligence in a child injury incident at a nursery school in Ikorodu.
The petition, submitted by Crown Cannan Attorneys, urges the Lagos State Ministry of Justice to reconsider the legal advice issued on September 16, 2022, in the case titled Commissioner of Police vs. Ambassador Rukayat Tobiloba and Rukayat Lawal.
Addressed to the former Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo, the application argues that the legal advice may have been influenced by what the petition describes as a “deliberate manipulation of facts.”
According to counsel representing the defendants, the allegations stem from an incident that allegedly occurred on October 26, 2021, at Great Kezino Nursery and Primary School located in the Adamo area of Ikorodu, Lagos.
The defendants, Ambassador Rukayat Tobiloba, 26, and Rukayat Lawal, 24, were reportedly the class teacher and assistant class teacher respectively in charge of a Nursery One class where the incident occurred.
Court documents indicate that a three-year-old pupil, identified as Victim A, was reportedly injured after another pupil allegedly pierced a pencil into her private part during school hours.
The prosecution claims the incident occurred due to the failure of the teachers to exercise adequate care and supervision over the children under their custody.
Based on this allegation, the two educators were charged with negligence under Section 252 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, which addresses acts that may cause harm through lack of proper care.
The defendants were subsequently arraigned before Magistrate Court No. 2 in Ikeja on April 19, 2022, where they faced a one-count charge relating to the incident.
During the investigation conducted at the Gender Unit of the Lagos State Police Command in Ikeja, several civil society groups reportedly monitored the proceedings.
Among them were representatives of the African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA) and other non-governmental organizations.
These groups reportedly raised concerns about what they described as a growing tendency to weaponise allegations of child abuse in ways that could unfairly damage reputations and careers.
In its petition, the defence team argued that the case deserves a fresh review to ensure that justice is served based on verified facts rather than assumptions or public pressure.
They urged the Ministry of Justice to carefully reassess the legal advice and the circumstances surrounding the investigation to determine whether the prosecution should proceed as currently framed.
Legal observers say the outcome of the requested review could determine the next stage of the case and may also highlight broader concerns about investigative procedures and child protection cases within the justice system.
Reacting to a viral social media post by Ambassador Rukayat Tobiloba, who claimed she might be jailed for defilement, the head teacher of Great Kezino Nursery and Primary School, Mrs. Edaolaropin Toyin, provided the school’s account of events.
According to her, the pupil identified as Victim A was enrolled in the Nursery One class on September 20, 2021, which had about 15 pupils.
She explained that on October 26, 2021, the pupil was transported home on the school bus after closing hours and handed over to her father around 4:30 p.m.
“Later that night, the pupil’s mother allegedly contacted the head teacher, claiming her daughter cried while bathing and alleged that a male classmate, Victim B, had inserted a pencil into her private part during school hours,” she said.
The school, however, rejected the allegation, maintaining that no such incident occurred while the child was in its custody.
“The following morning, the teacher visited the pupil’s home, where the father reportedly denied the mother’s account of the incident,” Toyin added.
She said the situation escalated later that day when the child’s parents arrived at the school with police officers from Imota Police Station demanding that the alleged male classmate be produced.
The head teacher further stated that the school management had supported Tobiloba throughout the legal process.
“Since the incident happened, the school management has never stopped supporting Tobiloba’s welfare until last year when she sent a WhatsApp message saying she was no longer interested in the court matter, claiming she had relocated to Ibadan,” she said.
She described the claims currently circulating on social media as “defamatory narratives.”
*GEN CG MUSA SUPPORT INITIATIVE MOURNS FALLEN HEROES AND URGES UNITY IN SECURITY SUPPORT
The Gen Christopher Gwabin Musa Support Initiative (GCGMSI) expresses its heartfelt condolences to His Excellency Gen Christopher Gwabin Musa OFR, Minister of Defence of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Grand Patron of the Initiative, and the families of the fallen heroes who courageously lost their lives in a recent attack by ISWAP in Konduga, Marte, Jakana, and Dalori in Borno State, northeast Nigeria. Among the tragic losses were three senior military commanders: Major U.I. Mairiga, Lt-Col Umar Faruq, and Lt-Col S.I. Iliyasu, who dedicated their lives to the service of our nation.
The GCGMSI implores the public to continue supporting our security agencies, emphasizing that the safety and security of our nation is a collective responsibility. Every day, our security forces pay the ultimate price to safeguard our country. We urge the public to remain supportive, pray for their success, and refrain from politicizing the security challenges we face.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Convener, Ibrahim Dahiru Danfulani Sadaukin Garkuwan Keffi/Betara Biu, which has been made available to the press. The statement highlights the initiative’s profound concern for the losses sustained by our security personnel and reflects on the broader security situation in Nigeria.
In his unwavering commitment to addressing the insecurity plaguing our nation, the Minister of Defence, Gen Christopher Gwabin Musa, has consistently engaged in urgent meetings with service chiefs, reinforcing strategic plans to combat threats and enhance national security. His leadership and decisive actions demonstrate a dedication to restoring peace and stability across our regions, ensuring a safer environment for all Nigerians.
society
SECURITY IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY: BACKING OUR MINISTER OF DEFENCE GEN. CHRISTOPHER GWABIN MUSA OFR
SECURITY IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY: BACKING OUR MINISTER OF DEFENCE GEN. CHRISTOPHER GWABIN MUSA OFR
By Ibrahim Dahiru Danfulani
In these challenging times, it is essential for all Nigerians to rally behind our leaders, particularly His Excellency Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa OFR, the Minister of Defence. The security of our nation is not a matter to be taken lightly or politicized. Gen. Musa, recognized for his unwavering dedication and sacrifice, has served our country commendably throughout his life.
Following the recent reshuffle of service chiefs by President Asiwaju Bola Ahamed Tinubu GCFR, which resulted in Gen. Musa’s retirement as Chief of Defence Staff, many voiced their concerns. Yet, upon his appointment as Minister of Defence, there was a renewed sense of hope among the populace. Gen. Musa has embraced his role with an unwavering commitment, often sacrificing his rest to ensure the safety and security of our great nation.
While it is undeniable that Nigeria faces security challenges, we must approach these issues with unity rather than division. It is crucial to recognize that those who politicize our national security are often those who have not contributed positively to the success of our security agencies. Instead of spreading negativity, we should support Gen. Musa in his mission to restore peace and stability.
To achieve our collective goal of a secure Nigeria, we must provide Gen. Musa with the trust he deserves. His vision and determination, paired with our support and prayers, can pave the way to overcoming the challenges we face. It’s time for every Nigerian to put aside political differences and work together for the common good. Let us have faith in our leaders and trust in Gen. Musa’s ability to steer our nation towards safety and security.
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