By Oluwakemi Ishola 

The Nigeria Union of Journalists, Oyo State Council on Monday condemned the attack meted out to an hapless female journalist, Zainab Olayiwola and her children on Sunday in Ibadan by an errant official of the Park Management System.

Olayiwola, an NUJ member and staff of Jamz FM, a Chapel that was inaugurated as a member of Oyo NUJ State Council last week in Ibadan was reportedly slapped by an official of the PMS, who also manhandled her kids, filtering away their luggage from a tricycle conveying them home.

The NUJ in a statement by the Chairman, Ademola Babalola and Secretary, Sola Oladapo tasked the State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde and the law enforcement agents to rein in, on the said official and ensure justice for Mrs. Olayiwola and her kids.

The PMS, is a special unit put in place by the Oyo State Government to manage the affairs of public transportation in the state after the proscription of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

The PMS has a former factional chairman of the NURTW in the state, Mr Mukaila Lamidi a.k.a Auxiliary, as the Chairman of its disciplinary committee.

While narrating her ordeal in the hands of the Chairman, Park Management System (PMS), Tricycle section at Orita-Challenge, Liberty Academy, Idi-Iroko area of Ibadan, Akeem Animashaun a.k.a System, she informed that the incident occured around 7pm, when she was heading home with her kids and had to take a tricycle popularly reffered to as Marwa.

She said:”We were supposed to be taken home by my husband but unfortunately he recieved an urgent call to be somewhere else, hence the need for me and my kids to make use of public transport. We decided to take a tricycle, we boarded Animashaun’s tricycle and after some minutes, he told us to exit his tricycle that he was going to take some passengers on charter.

“That was when I told him that his action was not fair, that he did not tell us he was not going to take us to our destination. In the twinkle of an eye, he had already flinged my children’s bags away and started dragging them out of his tricycle.

“This action of his I protested and the next was that he gave me a very hot slap.

“Of course, because of the fact that he is a man, I could not retaliate, my children were crying and I was left helpless and stranded for quite some time,” she lamented.

The NUJ said the vicious attack on one of its members was not only barbaric, but also regrettable that “the outlawed NURTW members clothed in PMS uniform, had yet to learn their lessons like a leopard which hardly changes its spots.”

The Union insisted that the matter would not be allowed to be swept under the carpet until justice prevails.

By Oluwakemi Ishola

Oyo State Government has said that it will continue to provide enabling environment for teachers to thrive in Oyo State, adding that it would also ensure uninterrupted payment of their allowances, while it initiates benefitting trainings for them.

The Executive Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Nureni Adeniran said this today, during the World Teachers’ Day Celebration.

He also said the State Government would not rest on its oars in providing incentives to teachers, especially in the rural areas to encourage young talents to join the teaching profession.

“Teachers are one of the most influential forces for equity, access and quality in education. Engr. Seyi Makinde’s administration places much emphasis on human capital development.

“We will give more attention to training and re-training of teachers in order to enhance their capacities for effective service delivery,” he said.

Adeniran also assured teachers that the State Government is progressively addressing some of the fundamental issues of teachers and education in the state.

He added that, to revitalise the sector, there was a need to unleash potentials for socio-economic development.

He noted that revitalising the sector had given rise to the training and re-training of teachers, adding that the process would be extended to teachers in the rural areas.

He also commended the efforts of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Association of Primary School Head Teachers and other bodies who pursue teachers’ professionalism in a bid to strengthen teacher quality.

By Oluwakemi Ishola 

The Senator representing Oyo South at the 9th National Assembly, Dr. Mohammed Kola Balogun has submitted a new memo to the constitution review committee of the 9th Senate, headed by Senator Ovie Omo Agege, the deputy Senate President.

According to the statement released by his SA on Media, Hon. Rotimi Johnson, “The CCII, through Chief Bayo Oyero sent a copy of the initial memo to me and i have done the needful to ensure that this request is kept on the front burner of National Discuss.” The creation of Ibadan State, which will include the Ibarapa region is paramount to our people”.

“Ibadan is the only one lagging behind among the former regional headquarters. We must give it our best shot anytime issues of constitutional review or restructuring is being contemplated”

The distinguished Senator who has PhD in Political Science also stated that politics is too dynamic not to make the best of the opportunity of constitutional review. We must just do our best. “I am not concerned about 2023 yet, my focus is doing the best with the 2019 mandate and there is still so much to be done”.

The SA Media, however, affirmed that no Senator has the record of Senator Balogun within two years and he has proof to show for this claim.

A former Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Fatai Owoseni has faulted the ban of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS).

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, the ex-police commissioner called for the audit of what he described as the organisation’s internal mechanism.

“It is not the best way to go; it is actually not the way to go. I think what the police leadership should do is to properly audit the internal oversight mechanism that is in place,” he said.

Owoseni, who is also the Special Adviser to Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Security also reacted to calls made by Nigerians for the disbandment of SARS.

He accused SARS operatives of failing to abide by the rules and regulations that govern them in the discharge of their duties.

The ex-police boss wants the Force to put some measures in place to ensure that SARS operatives are being checked to avoid abuse of office.

“All that is happening is because somehow the police have refused and failed to discharge their responsibilities in accordance with the extant rules and regulations.

“The so-called FSARS have rules and regulations that guide them. They consistently failed to abide by these rules.

“When measures like these are taken, nobody audits those measures to see the measure of compliance,” he said.

His remarks come a day after the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, banned the personnel of the FSARS and other Tactical Squads of the Force from embarking on routine patrols.

The IGP, according to a statement issued on Sunday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, warned officers against carrying out stop and search duties, checkpoints, mounting of roadblocks, traffic checks, etc with immediate effect.

Adamu also cautioned officers of the Tactical Squads against the invasion of the privacy of citizens particularly.

Also, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo condemned the violations of young people’s rights, describing it as unacceptable and annoying.

Osinbajo noted that the Nigeria Police is saddled with the responsibility of protecting Nigerians, adding that the “arrest, maiming or killing of young people or anyone at all, is completely wrong. It is unlawful and illegal, and anyone involved in this activity ought to be investigated and prosecuted.”

By Oluwakemi Ishola 

The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Oyo state chapter has petitioned the State Head of Service and the Ministry of Environment over a slanderous statement made by a staff of the Ministry, Sunday Agunbiade against the Chairman of the SWAN, Niyi Alebiosu and other members of the association.

In a petition letter by Temitope Adesiyan & Co, legal practitioners and solicitors and made available to Journalists on Sunday in Ibadan, Oyo state capital stated that it is worrisome and disheartening that a civil servant can be peddling lies against an individual, noting that they are not sure whether there is a larger conspiracy behind this, or he just failed to do a due diligence as required.

The petition informed Agunbiade’s employer, Oyo State Head of Service and Ministry of Environment the legal implication of his act in this matter, hence, imploring his employer to order him to embrace the olive branch extending to him while it lasts.

The solicitor in the letter also implored his employer further to compel Agunbiade before he bring their name to mucky water, to make full apology and retraction on same and confirm that these spurious allegations were falsely conceived and published in malice.

Also warning him to cease and desist from slandering Alebiosu, or left with no option than to turn the heat of litigation in full blast against him without any further recourse to him.

According to the petition, “Our client, Niyi Alebiosu, Oyo state Chairman of SWAN drew our attention to the fact that sometime in September 2020, Sunday Arogundade, a civil servant in a ministry of environment made a derogatory publication about SWAN via his WhatsApp which he posted on several groups.

“Arogundade referred to Niyi Alebiosu as an unscrupulous element parading himself as SWAN member in the state. Another one reads, Comrade Olaolu Fawole made this known while speaking with newsmen on Table Tennis tournament purported organized by a group of impersonators led by one Niyi Alebiosu of Nigerian Tribune, who has been deceiving and misinforming unsuspecting Nigerians in the recent times.

“This has led us to conclude that making these disparaging allegations is a calculated attempt to maliciously tarnish the image of our client’s persona through the deliberate publication of misrepresented facts to unsuspecting members of public.

“Agunbiade ignoble act had done wanton damage to the good image of our client, as he received calls from several upstanding members of the society. He had to spend a lot time and effort erasing the negative impression Agunbiade gave about Alebiosu on the media.

“We are using this medium to inform Agunbiade’s employer, Oyo State Head of Service and Ministry of Environment to impress upon them the legal implication of his act in this matter, hence, we trust that he would embrace the olive branch extending to him while it lasts.

“We are imploring his employer, the Oyo HOS an Ministry of Environment to order Agunbiade before he bring their name to mucky water, to make full apology and retraction on same and confirm that these spurious allegations were falsely conceived and published in malice.

“This is also warning to him to cease and desist from slandering our client, as we shall be left with no option than to turn the heat of litigation in full blast against him without any further recourse to him”.

By Oluwakemi Ishola 

An official of the Oyo State Park Management System (PMS), on Sunday evening allegedly slapped a female journalist -Mrs Zainab Olayiwola of Jamz FM Ibadan and also manhandled her children in the process.

The Park Management System (PMS), is a special unit put in place by the Oyo State Government to manage the affairs of public treansportation in the state after the proscription of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), and has a former factional chairman of the NURTW in the state, Mr Mukaila Lamidi a.k.a Auxiliary, as the Chairman of its disciplinary committee.

The female journalist while narrating her ordeal to her colleagues in the hands of the Chairman, Park Management System (PMS), Tricycle section at Orita-Challenge, Liberty Academy, Idi-Iroko area of Ibadan, Akeem Animashaun a.k.a System, informed that the incident occured around 7pm, when she was heading home with her kids and had to take a tricycle popularly reffered to as Marwa.

She said:”We were supposed to be taken home by my husband but unfortunately he recieved an urgent call to be somewhere else, hence the need for me and my kids to make use of public transport. We decided to take a tricycle, we boarded Animashaun’s tricycle and after some minutes, he told us to exit his tricycle that he was going to take some passengers on charter.

“That was when I told him that his action was not fair, that he did not tell us he was not going to take us to our destination. In the twinkle of an eye, he had already flinged my children’s bags away and started dragging them out of his tricycle. This action of his I protested and the next was that he gave me a very hot slap and still dragged me on the road”

“Of course, because of the fact that he is a man, I could not retaliate, my children were crying and I was left helpless and stranded for quite some time, because all other tricycle operators were not willing to take us because he had ordered them not to.

“I actually do not understand this Park Management System arrangement as most of them are renown for violence, because I know when the NURTW was in place, there was nothing like incessant assault on passengers as we are experiencing now, even though they may have their internal rancour of which they know how to resolve. I therefore, think there is urgent need for the Oyo State Government to do something drastic about the menace of these touts hiding under the guise of park managers, as this ugly trend if continued would drag the good image of our dear state through the mud.” She said.

Mrs. Zainab, further informed that after the incident, she put a call through to the Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Police, Oyo State Command, Olugbenga Fadeyi, who promised to get across to Orita Police Station and get back to her, but has not done that as of the time of filing this report.

By Oluwakemi Ishola 

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has applauded the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu for banning the routine patrol of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) and other Tactical Squads of the Nigeria Police Force.

Speaking to State House reporters at his residence in Abuja on Sunday, Professor Osinbajo described the routine attacks on young people as infuriating.

While condemning the actions of some officers he called bad “eggs of the Force”, the Vice President asked the police to stick to their mandates.

He also commended Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) for speaking up against injustices meted out by some security operatives on young Nigerians.

Osinbajo’s remarks come shortly after IGP Adamu warned FSARS and other Tactical Squads of the Force against carrying out stop and search duties, checkpoints, mounting of roadblocks, traffic checks, etc with immediate effect.

According to a statement issued by the Force spokesman, Frank Mba, the police boss warned the Tactical Squads against the invasion of the privacy of citizens particularly.

SEE FULL STATEMENT FROM THE IGP HERE:

PRESS RELEASE

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni has banned the personnel of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) and other Tactical Squads of the Force including the Special Tactical Squad (STS), Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Anti-Cultism Squad and other Tactical Squads operating at the Federal, Zonal and Command levels, from carrying out routine patrols and other conventional low-risk duties – stop and search duties, checkpoints, mounting of roadblocks, traffic checks, etc – with immediate effect. In addition, no personnel of the Force is authorized to embark on patrols or tactical assignments in mufti. They must always appear in their police uniforms or approved tactical gear. The IGP’s directives come against the backdrop of findings by the leadership of the Force that a few personnel of the Tactical Squads hide under this guise to perpetrate all forms of illegality, contrary to the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement establishing the squads.

Specifically, the IGP has warned the Tactical Squads against the invasion of the privacy of citizens particularly through the indiscriminate and unauthorized search of mobile phones, laptops and other smart devices. They are to concentrate and respond only to cases of armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes when the need arises.

The IGP notes that the FSARS and other Police Tactical Squads remain a critical component of the Force in confronting prevailing and emerging violent crimes in the country. He, however, condemns every act of unprofessionalism, abuse of human rights and high-handedness by some personnel of the Squads. He has therefore ordered the X-Squad and the Monitoring Unit to embark on immediate and massive nationwide monitoring of activities of Tactical Squads and other police officers on the road. They are to ensure prompt arrest, investigation and prosecution of all erring police officers who violate these directives and other extant regulations of the Force.

The IGP has equally warned, that henceforth, the Commissioner of Police in charge of FSARS, Commissioners of Police in charge of State Commands and the FCT as well as their supervisory Zonal Assistant Inspectors General of Police, will be held liable for any misconduct within their Area of Responsibility (AOR). He, therefore, charged them to ensure effective supervision and mentoring of the personnel of the Tactical Squads under their jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, two operatives of the FSARS and their civilian accomplice operating in Lagos State, INSPR Sale James, INSPR Monday Uchiola and Okechukwu Ogbonna, have been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command, for acts of professional misconduct including extortion and intimidation of innocent citizens. The operational vehicle of the men has also been impounded and the disciplinary procedure has already commenced against the defaulters.

The IGP reaffirms his commitment to bequeathing to Nigerians, a reformed Police Force that is accountable, responsible and ever ready to defend and uphold the rights of the citizens while discharging its duties of keeping the people safe and secure. He enjoins the citizens not to allow the misconduct by a few personnel of the Force to negatively impact on their belief, confidence and trust in the Police.

DCP FRANK MBA

FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

FORCE HEADQUARTERS

ABUJA

By Oluwakemi Ishola 

The Chairperson, Federal House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora Affairs, Hon. Tolulope Akande-Sadipe has commissioned two-blocks of classrooms at Alaho Community Grammar School and Oluyole Local Government Council Basic School, Ayegun- Oleyo, in Oluyole Federal Constituency, Ibadan.

Akande-Sadipe had through the Federal Government facilitated the project to the beneficiary basic schools. She equally distributed empowerment materials to Thirty Birth attendants within her constituency.

Speaking, Sadipe said the gesture was aimed at enhancing conducive learning environment for both the pupils and their teachers in her constituency.

She expressed optimism that the commissioning of the blocks of classrooms as well as the distribution of empowerment tools to birth attendants in Oluyole Federal Constituency would go a long way in ensuring the growth and development of educational institutions in the state, particularly at the Secondary level.

Sadipe said the commissioning of classrooms project was in continuation of her intervention in the education sector and in fulfilment of her promises to the people of Oluyole Federal Constituency.

“These blocks of classrooms are to further aid learning of our students in this Constituency. This is a clear testimony of the priority placed on “total education” by me.

“While the block of classrooms will add to the infrastructural development of the schools and provide the students with conducive learning environment, the empowerment of birth attendants is a deliberate effort at reducing child and mother mortality in our Constituency”.

“I believe our youths are the leaders of tomorrow and gestures such as this will no doubt put Oluyole constituency in the forefront of education in the State”.

“We promise to devote more resources through my constituency office to education programmes”.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Barr. Olasunkanmi Olaleye applauded Hon. Tolulope Akande-Sadipe’s kind gesture.

While pledging judicious utilisation of the facilties, the Commissioner noted that her gesture would place her name in the annals of Education history in Oyo State.

Speaking through the Director, Schools Services, Mrs. C.O Bolaji expressed delight that the classrooms would assist greatly in de-congesting existing classrooms.

Meanwhile, in her bid to reduce mortality rate in Oluyole Federal Constituency, Hon. Akande-Sadipe also donated working tools to Thirty indegent women in her constituency, who are birth attendants.

According to Akande-Sadipe, the gesture was aimed at restoring the glory of Birth attendants in Oluyole Federal Constituency and the entire State.

Speaking during the distribution of the  materials, the Deputy Chairman, All Progressives Congress, Oyo State, Hon. Olalekan Adeyemo urged other Representatives to emulate the exemplary conduct of the Hon. Akande-Sadipe.

He commended Sadipe for always being supportive and encouraging the young people in her constituency.

He therefore thanked the Politician for giving hope to Birth Attendants in the State.

He charged the beneficiaries to use the materials judiciously and continue to save lives of mothers and babies.

Materials donated were surgical kit items such as foetuscope, cord-clamps, artery forcep, infrared thermometers, bqby weighing scales, hospital beds, first aid boxes, stethoscopes, disinfectants, among others.